About Baltic Amber

Baltic Amber is an "organic gemstone", it is a naturally fossilized tree resin which was formed over 45 million years ago and is found on the coast of the Baltic sea, surrounding forests & underground deposits which are commonly mined. It is desired for its striking coloration, rich history and crystal healing properties. Because Amber is a resin, it is the lightest known gemstone which makes it warm to the touch & comfortable to wear, perfect for teething necklaces & jewelry.

Amber Health Benefits

In addition to being a truly alluring & captivating gemstone; Baltic amber has a rich history of its use in crystal healing. Users throughout the world have long reported its benefits in reducing teething pain, inflammation, drooling, muscle & joint pain, general well being and a sense of emotional uplift. The effects of wearing Amber jewelry are not limited to children either; Mums, dads, uncles & aunties, even arthritis suffers have all reported positive effects. Spas & wellness centers have even adapted to using crushed amber in creams & spas to try reduce inflammation in muscles.

Although the chemical makeup of Baltic amber is completely safe, we must reiterate the importance of safe practices & adult supervision when a child is wearing jewelry. Please follow our safety instructions outlined Here.

The Origin of Baltic Amber

Baltic Amber does indeed have a rich & mystical history – Known as “The gold of the North” or, the “Gem of the Baltic”. The prized gemstone originated as the sap from an ancient extinct tree species of pine that was left behind by a mighty forest in the Scandinavian region, the “Amber forest”.

Historically, the origin of Baltic amber was a mystery which could only be explained with myths.

An ancient European Legend tells a story about how the amber stones are debris of a sea goddess’s underwater palace, “Jurata’s Palace” which was made with a magnificent structure of Amber that was struck down & shattered into pieces by the mighty god, Perkun when he found out she was having an affair with a fisherman.

" For a year, Queen Jurata had been coming to the shore every evening to meet with her lover above the water; but when Perkun found out about this, he was infuriated that the goddess had dared fall in love with a mortal. One time when she returned to her palace, he sent a lightning bolt from the sky which split the tides and hit the queen’s residence, killing her and shattering her amber palace into little pieces."

Further stories tell a tale of disaster being the origin of the amber;
" after forty days of rain, the land was flooded. The tears of the people crying over their harsh fate turned into amber when they fell into the flood of water "

Interestingly this myth is similar to Greek mythology where amber was created from the tears of Helaides sisters, Phaeton. The sisters were mourning the death of their brother on the river bank, the sisters tears fell to the water & were turned into Amber.

Amber throughout the ages

Dating back to ancient times, Baltic amber has been prized for a number of uses & purposes. Medieval Warriors would have amulets made of Baltic Amber for their belief their amber would bring protection. The amulets were often passed onto their children for safe keeping, to protect them from evil and comfort them, to provide a connect between father & son or mother & daughter.

There is also an association with Baltic Amber & the sun - The vibrant yellow & orange hues which represent the sun are believed to bring a celestial body of warmth, healing & well being, a sense of comfort, relaxed mind & body, and a spirit which brings us closer with the universe.

A Neolithic solar amulet discovered in the Vistula Spit, ca. 2500-2200 B.C.,

Egyptians also respected this stone, considering it a reservoir of solar energy.

“Amber could be the fresh fruit of the attention of Ra (God of Sun). The Gods live in its sweet scent; and it’s color, much like Gold.”

Edgyption Pharaoh Tutankhamen’s Breast ornament, 1352 BC, which had been made of solid silver and included large amber falls.

Not surprisingly, magic workers & ancient witches would often wear amber necklaces, believed to be charged with powerful energies. The possession of such a necklace indicated great power and esteem – "a magical item that glowed, as if with sunshine".

Ambers novelty, shining & glistening colors & beliefs made the gemstone a treasure, so rare that early chieftains took amber with them to their graves, perhaps in the belief that the objects buried with them could be used in another world.

The Vikings were known to carve Amber into animal shapes & wear them during raids & wars as pendants or charms, they believed the carved animals would carry the strengths & traits of the carved animal. While in Ancient Greek, woman wore amber fish, frogs & rabbits to improve fertility.

Ancient Viking Amber Carving

Since Amber hosts once living things such as plant matter, bark, twigs, insects & even small animals, it has been considered the fifth element, bounding together the elements of earth, air, fire & water.

It has been burnt as incense to release powerful natural spiritual properties, used in rituals to send off the dead, made into jewelry, rosaries, sculptures, mosaics, medicine, embellished in clothing, kings crowns, tombs, the list goes on.

Even today, wearing Baltic Amber jewelry has been a symbol of good fortune & wealth – The mystical stone with rich history & powerful folklore properties, an enchanting & beautiful gemstone.

Amber Formation

Baltic amber originates from an extinct tree species of pine that grew in Northern Europe. It is believed that approximately 45-50 million years ago with the climate heat increase the trees released copious amounts of resin, these resins were washed through the forests and down the rivers until they reached the Baltic sea, with time the resin became hardened and fossilized until it finally reached a stable state through oxidation.

Chemical Makeup

Baltic amber is made up of 79% carbon, 10.5% hydrogen and 10.5% oxygen. It contains over 40 compounds which include potassium, sodium and iron, with its most prized compound, Succinic acid at levels between 3-8%.

Color Variation

The color of amber can vary from a range of yellows, oranges & browns to an almost black, with rarer colors ranging from deep red (0.5% of all amber) to green (2% of all amber) and the rarest color of all, blue (0.2% of all amber).

Inclusions

Amber is a fossil resin, its original form was a sticky tacky resin which collected anything it touched before it went through the process of fossilization. This is why every single piece is unique, with the ability to find "Inclusions" which can contain prehistoric plant matter, bugs, and a variety of other natural things.

Catching Baltic Amber

The locals, braving the Baltic sea in order to catch raw amber. Once collected, the amber is taken back to the workshop and handcrafted into Baltic Amber Beads before it's shipped off to us to create necklaces & bracelets!

Amber Real or Not?

Due to the growing demand for amber jewellery and the limited source, scientists have discovered many ways to synthesize it. Unfortunately nowadays, counterfeit amber is widespread. Below are some tests you can do at home in order to tell if your amber is real or not. We also list some of the most common amber forgeries and ways to distinguish them from real Baltic amber.

How to Test if your Baltic Amber is real or not.

1. Visual Inspection
The first test you should preform on your amber is a visual check. Genuine Baltic amber is soft and can be crafted into round beads. However, genuine amber beads are never perfectly round and each bead should not be exactly the same. You should notice imperfections in the beads, this can range from small cracks & air bubbles to natural craters in the beads.

2. Smell Test
Smell tests are the most effective because natural amber has a specific smell, which is difficult to obtain when producing falsifications. After heating, real Baltic amber diffuses the specific delicate fragrance of pine-tree resins. Falsifications using Copal diffuse the smell of "sweet" resins when heated and those using other materials diffuse the smell of burnt plastic.

To heat amber, you could use the "Rubbing" method, which is to rub amber in the palm of the hand. It is possible to heat real amber by rubbing it until it releases the smell of pine-tree resins. Although this method needs a very strong hand as it is rather difficult to heat amber (especially when polished) to the necessary temperature, especially with amber set in jewellery as trying to rub it into other materials could stretch the amber.

Another heating method is the "Hot needle test". Stick a heated needle into a subtle hidden place in the amber (a hole of a drilled bead, ect). If you smell definite pine-tree resins it means it is real Baltic amber.

3. Salt Water Test
The specific gravity of amber (and also Copal) (1.04-1.1) is lower than the specific gravity of salt-water (1.15). Therefore, it will float in the water while other materials will all sink. Mix up a solution of one part salt to two parts water in a container and stir. After several minutes of stirring, the salt will dissolve. To carry out the test, wash the sample amber with fresh water before placing in the saltwater solution. Genuine Amber will float in this solution while others will sink to the bottom. This test must only be used with the amber with no added strings, or metal attachments - these extras could make the amber sink.

To be finally convinced the floating amber is real, the "smell" test is indispensable.

4. IR-spectroscopy Test
IR-spectroscopy is the most effective scientific method for identifying fossil resins. Baltic amber could be characterized by IR-spectrum segment called "Baltic amber shoulder".

Common Amber Forgeries.

1. Copal
Copal is sold as Baltic amber, but in fact, this is a very young tree resin ( 1000- 1million years old). Natural "inclusions" are possible in Copal, but usually they are falsified. Insects are inserted in them that are too big and too perfect looking. Copal melts at a slightly lower temperature (lower than 150 C), and tends to melt rather than burn. After heating, it diffuses the "sweet" smell of burning resins.

2. Celluloid
Celluloid (cellulose nitrate) is usually a yellow & cloudy color. Optically it is difficult to distinguish it from real amber. Celluloid is much more robust and not as combustible. After heating, it diffuses the smell of burnt plastic.

3. Glass
It is easy to distinguish glass from amber. Glass is more solid, and it cannot be scratched by metal. Glass is cold and fireproof.

4. Casein
This is a plastic made from milk. The beads have a cloudy, turbid yellow color. It is a little bit heavier than amber. After heating, it diffuses the smell of burnt plastic.

5. Phenolic resins
Frequently, this material is found in artificial amber beads. These amber beads have especially exact shape (oval, faceted); the color is very similar to real amber (dark red, cloudy yellow, limpid). After heating, it does not diffuse the smell of pine-tree resins, which is characteristic for Baltic amber.

6. Modern Plastic
Modern plastic (polyester, polystyrene) is used to produce artificial amber. Optically this substitute can be very hard to distinguished because it uses official amber colors & limpidity. After heating, it diffuses the smell of burnt plastic.

Rest assured, any amber bought from our store is guaranteed to be 100% Genuine Baltic Amber.

Amber Care Guide

Baltic amber is an exquisite gemstone, with so many different colors & variations; it's no wonder why it's so highly sought after. It has a hardness of 2-2.5 which is softer than many other gemstones. Below is a list of things you should do in order to care for your amber jewellery. With proper care, amber can reward you with a lifetime of beauty and be handed down through generations.

Cleaning & polishing

Amber can be cleaned in lukewarm water with a soft flannel or cleaning cloth. Avoid harsh chemical soaps & cleaners that could damage the amber. Dry with a soft cloth. Olive oil & almond oil are both good natural products to polish the amber with.

Extreme temperatures

Avoid having your amber in extreme hot or cold conditions, a sudden increase or decrease in temperature can cause the amber to crack.

Do NOT leave in the sun

Contrary to what some people believe, amber should not be left in the sun for prolonged periods or exposed to high heat. Some people claim that amber needs to be "re charged" by the sun, however this is not true and actually removes the moisture in the amber, making it brittle.

Storage
Because amber is softer than a lot of other gemstones, it is recommended to store it wrapped in a jewellery cloth or jewellery bag away from other jewellery that could scratch it.
Avoid chemicals

Care should be taken when using chemical products such as hair sprays, deodorants & perfumes - These should be applied before wearing the jewellery as they can dull the amber.