Amber

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Formed from tree resin that hardened over millions of years, amber is an organic gem rather than a mineral, and it sometimes preserves ancient insects, plant matter, or air bubbles trapped during its slow fossilization. The finest material comes from the Baltic region of Europe, where deposits are 40 to 50 million years old, with further sources in the Dominican Republic, Myanmar, and Mexico. Its color runs from golden yellow to deep orange-brown, and at only 2.0 to 2.5 on the Mohs scale it is both soft and light, amorphous in structure with no crystalline form. Valued since the Stone Age for its warmth and glow, amber holds a distinctive, budget-priced place among the organic gemstones.

Physical & Optical Properties

Category Organic Gems
Mohs Hardness 2.0 – 2.5
Specific Gravity 1.05 – 1.1
Refractive Index 1.539 – 1.545
Crystal System Amorphous
Luster Resinous
Cleavage None
Color various
Pleochroism Absent

Mohs Hardness

1 Talc 2 Gypsum 3 Calcite 4 Fluorite 5 Apatite 6 Orthoclase 7 Quartz 8 Topaz 9 Corundum 10 Diamond Amber
Mohs hardness of Amber shown against the ten reference minerals, from talc (1) to diamond (10).
Mohs Reference mineral Amber
1 Talc
2 Gypsum
3 Calcite
4 Fluorite
5 Apatite
6 Orthoclase
7 Quartz
8 Topaz
9 Corundum
10 Diamond

Crystal System

Value & Market

Price Tier Budget (< $50/ct)

Where to Buy Amber

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Treatments

Newly created resins (copal), other synthetic resins and yellow glass. Ambroid is made from smaller pieces of the genuine amber, which are welded at 140-250 degrees C (284-482 degrees F) and 3000 atmospheres pressure into a substance that is easily mistaken for natural amber. - Gemstones of the world, Walter Schumann, 2001, p 228 2 to 2.5Walter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) More from other references 1.05 to 1.10Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references BrittleWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) NoneWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) ConchoidalArthur Thomas, Gemstones (2009) 1.539 to 1.545Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references IsotropicUlrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) NoneWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) AbsentWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) YesUlrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) Yellow, white, red, green, blue, brown, blackUlrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) More from other references Blue to green, yellow to orange to red to brown, Fluorescence under visible light in Dominican amber; blue is due to light (Rayleigh) scattering in Baltic amber Charge-transfer processes in large organic moleculesW. William Hanneman, Pragmatic Spectroscopy For Gemologists (2011) Transparent,Translucent,OpaqueUlrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) More from other references ResinousArthur Thomas, Gemstones (2009) Bluish-white to yellow-greenWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) More from other references Common moderate to strong (chalky)-blue to yellow-(green)Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) AmorphousHerve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) Amber information at mindat.org Baltic Sea&nbsp; Dominican Republic&nbsp; Italy&nbsp; Myanmar&nbsp; Peru&nbsp; Russia&nbsp;

About Amber

琥珀(アンバー)は、数百万年をかけて硬化した樹脂の化石で、黄金色から深いオレンジ褐色の色調が特徴です。しばしば昆虫や植物の遺物を内包し、古代生物学にとって貴重な情報源となっています。バルト海沿岸が最大の産地として知られ、古代から護符・装身具として人々に珍重されてきました。

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Amber?
琥珀(アンバー)は、数百万年をかけて硬化した樹脂の化石で、黄金色から深いオレンジ褐色の色調が特徴です。しばしば昆虫や植物の遺物を内包し、古代生物学にとって貴重な情報源となっています。バルト海沿岸が最大の産地として知られ、古代から護符・装身具として人々に珍重されてきました。
What is the hardness of Amber?
Amber has a Mohs hardness of 2.0 to 2.5, making it relatively soft for use in jewelry.
What color is Amber?
Amber is primarily Various.
How much does Amber cost?
Amber falls into the Budget (< $50/ct) price range. Prices vary based on color, clarity, cut, and origin.
What is the crystal system of Amber?
Amber belongs to the Amorphous crystal system.

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