Amber is one of the older organic gemstone materials. Amber is designated organic because it is the fossilized resin from a now-extinct species of coniferous trees that flourished more than thirty million years ago.

The Amber from the Baltic States and the Dominican Republic is 30 to 50 million years old. Copal is a hardened form of resin that is less than 10 million years old. Amber is sometimes included with extinct plants, reptiles, and insects that give scientists a snapshot of the prehistoric past.

Amber can be fashioned into a wide variety of items and has been popular in jewelry and decorative objects for centuries.

The Romans called amber succinum, as it was rightly believed to be from tree sap. It was also used in the Neolithic times as an ornamental material. Amber was brought all the way to the Alps from the Baltic coast- a huge distance for those days, which gives us an idea of how important the stone was in that time. Amber is known for producing an electrical charge when rubbed. In fact, the Greek name for amber is electron, which the word electricity is derived from. Sacred to the sun god Apollo, amber was once thought to be congealed sunlight. Amber was also viewed as tears- for the Vikings, and for the Greeks, tears over the death of Phaeton.

Amber is a powerful healer and cleanser of the body, mind and spirit.  It also cleanses the environment.  Amber draws disease from the body, healing and renewing the nervous system and balancing the right and left parts of the brain.  It absorbs pain and negative energy, helping to alleviate stress.  Amber clears depression, stimulates the intellect and promotes self-confidence and creative self-expression.  It encourages decision-making, spontaneity and brings wisdom, balance and patience.

With prolonged exposure to light it might darken, and it can be damaged by chemicals. The only safe way to clean amber is with warm, soapy water. Be sure to use a mild soap. The dyes used to color amber are not stable and can change or fade under certain circumstances.

Color Range:

Light Yellow To Dark Brown, Orange, Red, White; Occasionally Greenish, Bluish Due To Fluorescence

Major Sources:

Poland, Latvia, Italy, Spain and Mexico, Dominican Republic