Amber - What is amber

Amber—the oldest gem used in jewellery

An organic substance, amber is the fossilised sap of ancient pine trees, often with inclusions of insects and plant material or starburst-like formations caused by stress. In use since the neolithic age, amber is, arguably, the oldest gem-material known to humankind. Amber has a warm glow and beauty that looks great against all skin tones. Women with a fiery-passionate nature love to wear amber jewellery.

Amber is found worldwide in rock formations and along coastlines, churned by waves and washed ashore by the sea, or in pits dug in the earth. The largest amber deposits are around the Baltic Sea, in the Dominican Republic and Myanmar.

The glowing colours of Amber

Describing a gift from a suitor to Penelope, Homer writes of this gem in the Odyssey: “… a golden necklace richly wrought, / And set with amber beads, that glowed as if / With sunshine.” This resinous fiery gem continues to fascinate us even today. The colour of amber is determined by many factors, such as its place of origin, climate, temperature, and sediment.

Amber in yellow, orange, and brown shades called cognac amber is preferred in jewellery. Other attractive colours are cherry, milky aurora green, and the rare blue amber from the Dominican Republic, which is the most expensive.

This gem ranges in transparency from transparent to opaque. Transparent amber is used almost exclusively for jewellery. Jewellery made from transparent amber with insect inclusions is very popular and therefore priced more.

Three interesting facts about Amber

Celebrities and Hollywood actors such as Ginnifer Goodwin wear chunky statement necklaces made of amber and have wowed audiences. Amber is believed to have magical and healing properties. The terms 'electron' and 'electricity' come from the ancient Greek word for amber—“elecktron”—due to its producing sparks when rubbed against wool.

This gem is not a stone and is sold in grams, not in carats. With a hardness score of 2-2.5, soft resin-like amber can be polished, drilled, and is used as beads, rings and pendants.

There is genuine amber, and there are plastic imitations. That is why you need to be sure of what you are buying. At thejewelleryroom.com, every piece of fascinating designer jewellery is curated by our founders, Charlotte and Pernille, experts who employ their experience in the industry to include only high-quality, handcrafted items in our collections.

Amber is a unique and fascinating gem with which you could easily fall in love. Check out the lovely amber jewellery from designers Ole Lynggaard and Pernille Lauridsen range here.