Shop For Jewels

Amber Jewelry

Called jantar in Polish and berstein in German, amber, like pearls, is one of the few gems that are not technically minerals as well. Instead, amber is classified as an organic gem and produced from fossilized tree resins aging from 10 to 100 million of years. The country with the largest reserve of amber is the Dominican Republic, followed by Myanmar and Mexico.

Inner Beauty is Better and More Expensive
Certain pieces of amber are more expensive than other pieces of equivalent clarity and form. Why? It’s because the more expensive pieces of amber actually contain fossilized forms of living things such as plants and insects. The inclusion of these things is actually able to drive up the price and demand for amber.

Color Me Different
Amber, unlike other gems, comes in various colors. It ranges from almost-black to opaque pieces of ambers. The most common shades of amber are yellow and brown. A number of amber jewelry pieces however may appear in shades of white, green, and blue.

Keeping the Sparkle and Glow of Amber Jewelry
Because amber is a naturally soft material, it’s very much vulnerable to all sorts of damage. That’s why exquisite care must be shown when using and cleaning amber jewelry pieces.

If you’re set to wear amber jewelry for a special occasion, make sure that you apply perfume and hairspray prior to wearing your amber jewelry. Exposure to the chemicals found in perfume and hairspray may have damaging effects on your lovely jewelries.

Remember that amber is a very soft gem so make sure that you try your best to prevent your amber jewelry from having any contact with rough surfaces. Always place it inside a pouch so that it won’t get scratched when it’s placed next to jewelries containing other types of gems.

Amber jewelry is not tough enough to last a washing performed by an ultrasonic cleaner. Its appearance will also be sadly affected if you clean them with any strong solution such as detergents or even jewelry cleaning products.

If you notice any large quantity of dust, grime, soap or oil film clinging to any part of your amber jewelry, you can remove it with the use of a soft cloth – preferably of flannel – dipped in lukewarm water. Rub it dry with clear olive oil before attempting to further remove any excess oil or liquid.

Nor will amber survive extensive exposure to heat or sunlight and situations of extreme or quick-changing temperatures.

Exercise while still wearing your amber jewelry can also contribute in making it appear uglier than it truly is.

Creating Your Own Amber Jewelry Piece
If you intend to create your own amber jewelry piece for yourself or as a gift for someone else, we strongly advise that you create a necklace or earrings instead because they’re less likely to have contact with other metals or rough surfaces unlike rings and bracelets.

Choosing a Metal – Do you wish to have an amber necklace using a gold chain? Silver is cheaper than gold, whiter gold is more expensive than plain gold, but platinum at the moment is the most expensive.

Choosing a Color – The varying colors of amber reflect varying prices as well. The most expensive type of amber is those that are transparent or colorless. Ambers of any shade of yellow or brown are usually one of the cheapest because they’re more abundant and easier to find than the others.

Choosing a Shape – If you opt to work with your amber piece in its original form or shape, you’ll be able to take advantage of a lower rate. Having a jewelry maker customize the shape, however, will expectedly cause the price to increase.

Suggestions for Gifts of Amber Jewelry
You could mention in your card that amber was considered in ancient times as a protection against illnesses. They are also supposedly able to inspire compassion and understanding from others as well as make a woman smell lovelier than usual.

Since amber is definitely less expensive than sapphires and diamonds, considering spending extra by buying a matching amber jewelry box as well.

How to Know if Your Amber Jewelry is Real
Let’s end this article with a tip that will teach you to determine the authenticity of the amber jewelry you’re holding. Real amber floats in salt water and shows no visible signs of effect if it’s rubbed gently with a nail polish remover.

More Amber Articles