WHAT IS AMBER?

Amber is one of the few gemstones of organic, rather than mineral, origin.  Essentially, amber is a fossilised resin from prehistoric evergreens, or other now extinct species of resin producing trees which flourished in large forests, some more than 100 million years ago. Animals, plants, and insects became entrapped and entombed in this resin, providing a unique and detailed snapshot of life millions of years ago. 

Amber retains basically the same organic substances present in the original resin exuded from the prehistoric trees. Extreme conditions, such as pressure by the glacial coverings, severe climatic changes and submersion of the resin under salt water, took place over millions of years, causing the process of polymerisation.  During the lengthy time underground, molecules were forced to polymerise, that is, to rearrange themselves into long chains of atoms.  This caused a metamorphosis (change) from a tacky resin to a solid, forming a compound with greater stability and hardness than the original substance.  Most amber found today was formed during the Tertiary Age, about 30-50 million years ago. The trees from which Baltic amber originates grew in a subtropical climate in what today is northern Europe.  Different kinds of amber are found throughout the world with a variety of colours including milky white, yellow, brown, red, black, blue and green, the most common being the milky and the honey-coloured. In its natural, rough state, amber appears quite common and unattractive, covered with a crust of oxidised resin.

                                              Blue amber from the Dominican Republic

Resin is not to be confused with sap, which consists of sugars, water and dissolved minerals. The sticky extrusive mass that comes from a cut on a pine tree is resin. Under the proper conditions the resin undergoes certain physical and chemical changes that turn it into amber.  If the resin has hardened in recent times, it is called copal. Presently certain trees produce large quantities of resin; the Kauri gum from New Zealand (Agathis australis), Sundarac from Australia (Tetraclinis articulata), the Gum Arabic tree from Africa (Acacia arabica) and the Algarroba tree from South America (Hymenaea courbaril).

Following polymerisation the next stage in the transition is the evaporation of volatile oils. The oils, called turpenes, slowly permeate out of the amber. This second stage may take millions of years before the process turns the copal into something approaching the structure of amber.

It is speculated that either one or both of these stages in the formation of amber must take place in an anaerobic (absence of oxygen) environment, or it may have to sustain a period of immersion in seawater. Amber which is exposed to air for several years undergoes oxidation which causes a distinct darkening and crusting of the gem’s surface. If sustained over many years the amber can fragment and breakdown into small tiny splinters and shards. The Isle of Wight amber is amongst the oldest found in the world, an estimated 120 Million years. Not surprisingly the pieces found are small and tiny, weighing only a few grams. Lebanese deposits dating back 125 million years are similarly found in minuscule sizes and quantities. Baltic amber (a mere 20 to 40 millions years old) can be found in quite large blocks, in some cases weighing several kilos.

The largest known piece of Baltic amber ever found weighs 21.5 pounds (almost 10 kilos), it was found near Stettin, Poland in 1860 and now resides in the Museum fur Naturkunde in Berlin. Unconfirmed reports exist of a 4400 pound (2000 kilos) monster discovered in Samland in 1862 but it may be nothing more than a story.

Working with Rough Amber Materials: SANDING BLOCK  (Sponge type works well) COARSE & MEDIUM WET AND DRY EMERY PAPER (400, 600 and 1200 grit) CHEAP NO-NAME BRAND PLAIN TOOTHPASTE (the polishing paste.) If there is no clear window, select a relatively smooth side and sand it to give a clear window to the amber. Start with a rough grade on the block and work to a fine grade of wet and dry emery paper (from 400 to 1200 grit), stopping often to check your developing amber gem. Finish off by putting the polishing paste onto a cloth and rubbing the amber to get a smooth finish.   Wipe the amber with a damp cloth and then study the interior of the amber using a loupe (magnifying lens). Take your time with this and view it from every angle.   When you find an inclusion start to polish the rest of the piece, working as far away from the inclusion as possible as it may be close to the surface and could be damaged.   Usually another window will let in sufficient light for an initial identification of the inclusion. It may even reveal another inclusion previously obscured.   Work slowly and carefully to reveal your insects. They have been there for a long time so there is no need to hurry. Apply a silicone-based wax (e.g., Turtle Wax) after polishing to get a great shine and then every 4 - 6 months to restore the shine.

Whatever you do with your amber, enjoy your unique window to the past.

The largest confirmed piece of amber ever found is not from the Baltic but from Borneo. The stone weighed 150 pounds (approx 68 kilos), but was unfortunately broken into four pieces during or after extraction.

For additional information on amber visit Amberica West (click on the image below)