Amber

Specific Gravity: &nbsp;1.08
Refractive Index: &nbsp;1.54-1.55
Birefringence (DR): &nbsp;Not applicable
Luster: &nbsp;Resinous
Crystal Structure: &nbsp;Amorphous
Composition: &nbsp;Mixture of organic plant resins
Hardness: &nbsp;2½

Aber is the fossilized resin of trees. Most amber is golden yellow to orange. However, red, green, violet, and black amber have been found. Transparent to translucent, it usually occurs as nodules or small, irregularly shaped masses, often with a cracked and weathered surface.

Amber may contain insects (and more rarely toads, frogs, and lizards), moss, lichen, or pine needles that were trapped millions of years ago while the resin was still sticky. Air bubbles may give amber a cloudy appearance. However, heating in oil will clear this. When rubbed, amber produces a negative electrical charge that attracts dust. ‘Ambroid’ is formed by heating and pressing together scraps of amber.

The cracks inside Amber produce a spangling effect. These may be caused by heat treatment. Some washed-up pebbles found on the beach may have a weathered surface. It is also usual to have a cracked surface due to dehydration of the stone.

Amber has had a number of medicinal uses attributed to it, but today it is used almost exclusively for jewelry. It has been imitated by the glass, plastic, synthetic resin, and other natural resins, like copal.

There have been instances of Roman amber beads found in river silt. In China, amber has been worked in the shape of a panda bear.

Amber is cut and polished as beads and used in necklaces. Most transparent beads have a warm glow.

Table of Contents

Occurrence

Amber occurs in the Baltic region, particularly along the coasts of Poland and the former USSR. Baltic amber (known as succinite) washed from the seabed may reach as far as the coasts of Denmark, Norway, and England. Amber from Burma is called burmite; Sicilian amber is known as simetite. Other localities include Canada, the USA, Czechoslovakia (Czech Republic), Romania, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic.