How to Buy Genuine Amber Gemstone: A Complete Buyer’s Guide

Amber has been known for thousands of years for its warm colors and ancient origins. It is a tree resin fossil that captures sunlight well and occasionally preserves insects or plant remains from millions of years ago. Nevertheless, there are numerous imitations and pieces imbued with amber in the market. Knowledge of distinguishing genuine amber and its quality parameters helps buyers make wise purchases and prevents costly errors. Understanding What Amber Is Natural Formation Amber is formed out of resin, and the tree hardened it over millions of years. The resin found in ancient forests enmeshed and trapped insects, leaves, and other minute stuff. Heat and pressure over time transformed this resin into what is known as amber, a gemstone. It takes at least 1 million years to become fossilized. Younger resin, referred to as copal, resembles but is not actual amber. Copal is not as hard and firm as genuine amber. Diversity helps distinguish original works. Common Colors and Types Amber ranges from light yellow to intense red-brown. The most common colors are golden yellow and honey. Amber is available in green, blue, and black; although less common, it is more valuable. Dominican amber is generally increasingly more transparent. The most ancient and rare forms of amber are the Burmese ones. Spotting Fake Amber Simple Testing Methods A saltwater test helps determine whether amber is authentic. In this solution, genuine amber will float, though most plastics will sink. Nevertheless, some plastics float, so this test does not provide a definite answer. Compared to glass, Amber is warm to the touch. When amber is rubbed vigorously with a cloth, it acquires a static charge which attracts small pieces of paper. Plastic can also cause constant, thus combining a series of trials. The hot needle test is done by touching a hot needle to an unnoticed place. Amber actually emits a pine aroma. The odor of plastic is unattractive. It is a test that ruins the work a little, and is only employed when it deviates from places that will not be depicted. Evaluating Amber Quality Clarity and Transparency Crystal-clear, transparent amber with minimal cloudiness or bubbles attracts a higher price. The quality is clearly demonstrated in the power to see through the stone. Nevertheless, there is a certain degree of inherent cloudiness that does not always imply poor quality. Amber, evident and free of inclusions, is less common than slightly cloudy pieces. The formation of clouds is attributed to small air bubbles that are enclosed during formation. Other buyers like the attributes that these natural features offer. Color Considerations The entire piece is richly colored throughout, a sign of quality. Pale, somehow washed-off colors or splotches may imply treatment or inferior quality. The most popular are deep golden and honey colors, which are the most valuable. Seldom-heard-of colors such as green, blue, or cherry red fetch high prices. Such odd colors result from specific conditions of formation. Check for authenticity when purchasing rare, colored amber, as treatments can mimic its appearance. Inclusions and Fossils Amber with insects, leaves, or any organic matter that has been preserved is very valuable. These inclusions confirm the antiquity of the amber, and give it interest of a scientific and artistic kind. There is value added to the presence of inclusions. There are manufactured inclusions in blue amber gemstones. True inclusions are naturally positioned and described. The insects in resin put in modern times are too perfect-looking and do not decay as the real fossils do. Size and Shape Factors Weight Considerations Big amber is more expensive per gram than small amber. But large pieces might be asked to be more authentic. The medium-sized stones compromise on value and authenticity issues. Amber is not as heavy as most gemstones. A heavy, small object can be glass or another fake element. Get acquainted with the sensation of authentic amber. Cut and Polish Amber is beautifully cut and polished, with minimal waste. Even smooth surfaces reflect light appealingly. Ineffective cutting gives out uneven surfaces or edges. Amber may have a high-gloss or matte finish. They are both fine to preference. Make sure that there are no sharp points. Treated vs Natural Amber Common Treatments * Amber is suggested to be made clear and colors altered by heat treatment. Amber is treated to make it look normal; however, it is not as valuable as the untreated ones. Treatments should be disclosed to sellers, yet most are not. * Rebuilding or molding amber involves heating and crushing little bits of amber. This takes larger forms of amber, such as chips and powder. Although it still contains genuine amber, pressed amber has very little value compared to solid natural amber. * Wax and oil treatments are picture treatments that improve the look in the short term. These surface treatments flake off with time. They do not essentially transform the amber but are to be revealed. Why Natural Matters Amber that is not treated does not change its original state after it was formed. To collectors and investors, natural stones are more preferred because they are authentic and do not change. Amber from nature becomes more valuable over time. Amber can change, as an appearance can be lost during treatment or due to environmental conditions. Natural amber can subsist in natural conditions for several centuries. Where to Buy Amber Reputable Dealers The good reputation of the jewelry store and the gem dealers is more secure than that of unknown vendors. These companies are concerned about their reputations and are more likely to sell authentic works. Amber dealers with specialized expertise sell with certificates of authenticity and often provide provenance information. Their knowledge shows the buyers what they are buying. Online Shopping Cautions Additional care is needed when purchasing amber online. Images may conceal flaws or be deceptive regarding colors. Look at seller reviews and the return policy before buying. Ask to take detailed shots from various angles and lighting conditions. Questions regarding testing techniques to identify the genuine origin should be asked. Trusted sellers respond accurately and adequately to questions. Travel Purchases The countries in the Baltic region, such as Poland and Lithuania, sell Amber at source prices. Nevertheless, there are many fakes targeted at tourists as well. Purchase merchandise in reputable retail stores instead of street peddlers. Ask departments to complete forms to demonstrate authenticity when purchasing abroad. Store customs receipts and possible refunds in case of fakes when one comes back home. Price Guidelines Genuine Expectations True amber is more expensive than the artificial counterparts, but not as expensive as the precious gems. Huge, high-quality works with unusual colors or inclusions are worth hundreds or thousands of dollars. Very low prices are indicators of fakes or highly treated amber. When a price seems too good to be true, the amber is likely not natural or not real. Value Factors Amber value depends upon age, origin, color, size, and inclusions. The price of Baltic amber is usually lower than that of Dominican or Burmese amber. Unusual colors are sold at a higher price than ordinary honey colors. Insects or plant inclusions are highly valued. A rarer, better-preserved inclusion fetched a higher price. Inclusion information is more visible, and this adds value. Caring for Amber Amber itself is soft and smooth, and it scratches readily. Keep it in different places with harder gemstones. Tests should be avoided when using chemicals such as perfumes, hairspray, and cleaning agents. Wipe using soft cloths, and that is all. Extreme temperature changes can break Amber. Remove amber jewelry before taking a bath or working out. Amber remains beautiful with proper care. Conclusion To purchase real amber, one will need to know how to test it, what goes into quality, and the most prevalent fakes. A combination of visual examination and basic tests will be used to authenticate the tests. Buying from reputable traders, knowing what to pay, and understanding how it is treated help buyers avoid fraud. When it is evaluated and correctly handled, real amber can be a permanent access to ancient nature and history.

The gemstone industry has lots of types, and each type has unique features. These features make every gemstone valuable because of its colors, patterns, and hardness level. However, there is a gemstone that is not mineral-based, unlike others. That is amber stone, and it is a resin that comes from a pine tree. That resin is not a decade, hundreds, or even thousands of years old, but millions of years old. This is why a gel-like resin becomes hard like a standard gemstone since it has been preserved for millions of years. The yellowish-orange gemstone, amber, has significant worth in the ornament industry. If you are a trader, manufacturer, supplier, or online retailer, this information will help you a lot. Find out almost everything about amber stones for a better understanding.   Characteristics of Amber Gemstones You might have seen amber stones in yellowish-orange cabochons. They are popular because of their bright orange shades and millions of years-old insects preserved inside them. They are the only gemstones with such creatures preserved inside, and that makes them beloved to many. Let’s find out their characteristics, which will help you find the best one in the market for ornament or decorative purposes. Color Range They have a symbolic color yellowish-orange, but it can range from yellow to even black. That all depends on the purity level one finds. The purer it is, the brighter the yellow color it has. You can find it in honey yellow, brown, orange, red, and black hues. Although its natural color ranges from yellow to black, its green and blue shades come from special polishing. Ornaments and gemstone dealers treat amber stone at high temperatures for blue, green, and even red hues. The green, blue, and red elements are already present in orange amber; the heating process only expands the texture and color intensity in it. Therefore, experts polish and pressurize to further beautify green and blue ambers.   Mohs Hardness Level If we look at all the gemstones, most of them have a hardness level above 5. The higher the number on the Mohs scale, the higher the hardness level of the stone is. Amber stone has a hardness level between 2 and 2.5, which makes it much more sensitive compared to others. Many claim that amber is not a gemstone since it is not a mineral like other stones. It is a tree resin in hardened form, and its beauty makes it an organic or plant-based gemstone. Poor Scratch and Heat Resistance Due to its low hardness, it has poor heat resistance. It can’t withstand extreme heat, which is why its jewelry has to be safe from excessive heat. Likewise, it has poor resistance to scratches, which is why it requires more care. Despite having poor scratch and heat resistance, it is still valuable in the gemstones industry. The jewelry people wear made of amber is beloved because of its vivid yellowish, greenish, and bluish hues.   Preserve Million-Year-Old Creatures Inside Then comes the key characteristic of amber stone, which is not in any other gemstone. No gemstone has millions of years-old insects preserved inside. When you go through many amber stones, they have insects, naturally preserved insects inside them. That happened because fossilization occurred in the resin of pine genus trees. The resin that is released by trees, amber is a hardened form of that resin. It is not an ordinary resin, but a million-years fossilized resin of pine genus trees. Spiders, ants, scorpions, bees, and many insects are found inside them, and these insects make amber gemstones special. Types of Amber Stones There are a few hues of amber stones in the market, and the red, blue, and green ones are more precious. The green and blue are rare ones, which makes them more expensive. There is a reason behind those hues, and you will find it below. Also, amber gemstones are popular in a few regions, which are the Baltic region, Myanmar, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico. Besides, Lebanon, Spain, France, and India have some amber-rich locations.   Baltic Amber Baltic amber comes from various countries like Poland, Russia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Even Scandinavian countries have some reserves where you can find amber gemstones. But two countries, i.e., Poland and Russia, have the finest and largest reserves of amber. They also have the most expensive types of amber gemstones, and that includes rare blue amber. The Baltic region has a hundred thousand tons of amber reserves, which is why Baltic amber has a huge significance in the world. Baltic amber has depth in texture, which shows the authenticity of this type. Dark orange, brownish, yellowish-orange, and honey-yellow amber stones are some popular ones in the Baltic type. Burmese Amber (Burmite) One of the amber-rich sites in the world is Myanmar, previously known as Burma. This is why we also call its amber stones “Burmite”. Burmese amber has a local name, Kachin amber, because of the Kachin state of Myanmar. Its yellow and golden shades are popular all over the world, including orange, brown, and red ones. Myanmar has 100-million-year-old amber reserves, and the older the amber is, the harder and more beautiful it is. What makes Burmite special is its higher probability of insects preserved inside it. These ambers also have the highest clarity, especially when it comes to preserved scorpions inside. Such amber gemstones are the most valuable in the world. Black Amber Black amber is also beautiful, but not as valuable as the rest of the amber stones. You can find full black, brownish shade, or dark brown with blackish shade in it. Some have a dark wooden appearance in color, and the pattern creates more value in them. However, the black color in amber shows the number of impurities in it, which means black amber is full of impurities. When the light is passed through it, all those impurities can be seen. Although it is less valuable than yellow, red, blue, and green ambers, it still has a beautiful appearance in jewelry. Dominican or Blue Amber Then comes blue amber, which is popular in the Dominican Republic. Therefore, both are interchangeable terms in the market. You can also find orange and brown shades in Dominican amber. Its rare blue shade is the symbolic one, and that is the most expensive amber stone. What makes blue amber so mesmerizing is its fluorescent view through UV rays. When you pass UV rays through it, they create a reflection of an ocean-like, vivid blue color. Rare green hues are also popular in Dominican ambers, and they are among the most expensive amber stones. The rarity of blue amber makes it more expensive than other shades. Green Amber As we discussed in the above section about green amber, here is the reason why it is green. The greenish shade appears in yellow and orange amber stones, which is further enhanced with artificial methods. When a plant’s chlorophyll enters the amber, the amber gets a greenish shade. With the help of the autoclaving method, experts increase the greenish hue to turn the amber stone into a green one. Due to this effect, the price also becomes higher than orange, yellow, and red amber stones. The Dominican Republic and Baltic regions have green ambers, and the gemstone industry sources them from these regions. Conclusion In conclusion, we can say that amber stone is a plant-based gemstone with a very low hardness level on the Mohs scale. Yet, it is among the most beautiful and fascinating gemstones because of millions of years-old insects preserved inside. Ants, bees, spiders, and scorpions are popular creatures found in amber stones, and these stones have higher value than the empty amber stones. Besides, amber jewelry like pendants, rings, tops, and bracelets is popular, especially with silver chains.  

Amber is a gemstone who has a remarkable background. In contrast to other gems made of stone and minerals, amber is made of ancient tree resin. This is a golden rock which people have been seeking to know more about for thousands of years. Knowing about amber would enable individuals to appreciate its beauty and value. What is Amber? When resin contained in trees solidifies after millions of years, it forms amber. The resin entraps insects and leaves, among other tiny items. They give each amber a unique inclusion. The process of hardening soft resin into solid amber is done by heat and pressure. The majority of amber stone was developed during the period between 30 and 90 million years ago. This was a period when ancient forests covered large parts of the Earth. It caused the trees to produce sticky resin as a defense against insects and disease. This coating or covering resulted in the amber that we have. How Amber Forms Over Time Resin produced in trees starts as a liquid that drains through broken bark on trees. The resin will harden gradually when exposed to the air. Over millions of years, buried resin is altered by the pressures and chemical interactions with the Earth. The transformation is done in phases. A new resin is introduced in the form of copal, a partially hardened resin. Genuine amber takes a lot longer to be full-grown. It is this long process that makes amber so stable and beautiful. Amber's Physical Properties Color and Appearance Amber has a wide range of colors, with yellow and brown being the primary colors used in gold. Part of amber looks green, red, or even orange. The transparent amber allows light to go through easily, whereas the opaque amber has bubbles or particles. Amber, that is good, it will have a smooth and warm surface. Amber is very bright when it is well-polished in quality. Natural amber usually exhibits flow marks of the resin, which was in liquid form. Hardness and Durability The hardness of amber ranges from 2 to 2.5. This gives it softness as compared to the majority of gemstones, yet it is hard enough to be used as jewelry. Any scratches and amber damage can be avoided through careful handling. Amber, being relatively soft, does not break easily during its normal use. Before breaking, the material slightly bends, thus it does not break abruptly. Amber is excellent and can have several years of proper care. Weight and Density Amber is light in weight compared to most other stones of this weight. This light density is due to its organic nature. The amber is hardly noticeable in weight; hence, it is very easy to incorporate into large jewelry designs. Amber would float in saltwater and sink in freshwater. This characteristic can be used to distinguish between the real amber and the glass or plastic imitations. The density test is a simple method for verifying the authenticity of amber. Different Types of Amber Baltic Amber The countries surrounding the Baltic Sea produce Baltic amber. This kind has the most significant level of succinic acid and, therefore, is very stable. Prehistoric insects and plant remains can be found within Baltic amber. The majority of the world's amber is regionally produced in the Baltic. Amber is washed by the storms and collected on the beaches by the amber collectors. This amber originated from the ancient pine forests that once existed in continental Europe to the north. Dominican Amber Dominican amber is produced in the Caribbean in the Dominican Republic. This amber is generally more transparent than Baltic amber. It typically contains tropical insects and flowers that are absent in other types of amber. Dominican amber is a relatively new development compared to Baltic amber, typically 15-40 million years old. The tropical climate gave rise to various types of inclusions. Under certain lighting conditions, this amber exhibits a blue or green hue. Mexican Amber The origin of Mexican amber is Chiapas, Mexico. This amber ranges from yellow to deep, reddish red. Mexican amber contains several rare insects and plants from the primeval forests of Central America. Local artisans have utilised Mexican amber over the centuries. Amber develops in specific layers within the geological formations. The mining is a process that should be delicately done so that no part of the amber is destroyed. Traditional Meanings and Beliefs Ancient Cultures The ancient Greeks named amber electron due to its ability to produce static electricity when rubbed together. Romans considered amber precious and traded it throughout the empire. Amber was attributed with magical properties by many cultures. The Celtic people believed that amber connected the earth to the sun. They used amber in religious ceremonies and for medicinal purposes. Amber amulets were used by warriors as protection in battle. Healing Properties It was the belief of traditional healers that amber was capable of curing numerous illnesses. They believed that the amber could be used to decrease pain and inflammation when in contact with the skin. These claims regarding healing cannot be proved by modern science. Some individuals have worn amber jewelry due to its purported health benefits. Baltic amber is known to contain succinic acid and is believed by some to possess some curative properties. The beliefs are held even in the absence of scientific facts. Spiritual Meaning Amber is regarded by a lot of spiritual traditions as a protective and wise stone. It is believed that amber can clear negative energy from spaces. Some believe amber to be linked to the wisdom of the ancient earth. In some cases, meditation practitioners employ amber to boost the practice. Amber has a warm temperature and is lightweight, making it pleasant to hold during meditation. Such applications are based on individual faith rather than scientific effectiveness. Modern Uses of Amber Jewelry Making Amber also produces beautiful pieces of jewelry which display its natural colors. Amber is flaunted in necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Being lightweight, amber is easy to wear. Jewelry manufacturers often combine amber with metals like silver or gold. This gives the contrast beautiful designs that are interesting to a large number of tastes. The amber jewel suits both informal and formal outfits. Art and Decoration Artists often use amber in their sculptures and ornaments. Amber can be worked into elaborate patterns in significant works of art. This transparency on carved pieces gives rise to attractive effects of light. Amber inlays beautify furniture and artwork. Amber comes in small objects that are shaped into detailed designs in wood or metal. The fine craftsmanship of using the method can be centuries old. Conclusion Amber collecting can be a rewarding hobby. Every composition narrates about ancient forests and primitive life. Amber captivates people all over the world in terms of its beauty and history.Guide to Amber Gemstones Amber is a gemstone who has a remarkable background. In contrast to other gems made of stone and minerals, amber is made of ancient tree resin. This is a golden rock which people have been seeking to know more about for thousands of years. Knowing about amber would enable individuals to appreciate its beauty and value.