By Cynthia Unninayar

Although amber has been used in various ways for thousands of years, with artifacts found as far back as the Stone Age, its popularity surged when the film Jurassic Park was released—the skepticism of being able to actually create dinosaurs from DNA found in mosquitoes trapped in amber notwithstanding. Today, amber continues to rise in popularity, as more people discover its natural beauty enhanced by innovative designs in silver and gold.

Since most of the world’s amber comes from the Baltic region, Amberif is the perfect venue to showcase the interesting and beautiful creations made with this living gem. Held in Gdansk, Poland, the 19th Amberif fair took place last March and attracted more than 6,000 visitors from around the world who came to see the products of some 400 exhibitors. “Amberif is an excellent opportunity to establish business relationships and get an overview of trends,” said Ewa Rachon, Amberif Project Director. “While the last three years have been difficult for the industry, things seem to be turning around. We are pleased with the results. We also see companies adjusting to the trends and to new generations of consumers, with some offering a wider range of patterns and jewellery, using amber mixed with gilded bronze, gold, silver, steel, and leather straps.” She also added that next year, the fair is moving to a larger, more modern and convenient facility, named Amber Expo, near the stadium.

Among the foreign buyers at Amberif was first-time visitor Robert Levine, owner of the Fire & Ice retail stores in Maryland. “Although this was my first time at Amberif, I have been working with amber suppliers from the region for many years. We were the first retail store to carry amber jewellery, going back 25 years. We carry a broad range of cast production pieces in silver and amber, many with a whimsical theme, as well as one-of-a-kind pieces, all of which sell well. We also found new suppliers and confirmed a number of orders. I might add that one advantage of coming to Gdansk was visiting its beautiful old town. My wife and I were able to spend several hours there and loved every minute. We found the Polish people to be helpful and friendly, not only at the fair, but everywhere. We will certainly return.”

Among the highlights at Amberif were the designer gallery, the design contest, and the Amber and Fashion Gala where both jewellery and fashion designers collaborated on collections that featured stylish clothes and creative amber jewellery on the catwalk. A number of museums, scientific agencies, historical associations, and other organizations were also present, along with a series of educational and promotional events.

Very importantly, to ensure buyers’ confidence, Dr. Ewa Wagner-Wysiecka of Gdansk University of Technology, ran a special laboratory at the fair to test amber for its authenticity. At the same booth was a large display of real amber products along with many examples of fake amber and the various products used as imitations.

A Bit About Amber

The origin of amber is steeped in myths and legends. The ancient Greeks believed it was the tears of the Heliades. The ancient writer, Nicias, wrote that amber was the juice or essence of the setting sun that congealed in the sea and then washed onto the shore. It was considered magical by some, both as a protection and for its medicinal properties. (Even today, amber is used for various healing effects—the subject of a whole other article.) During the Neolithic period, amber cornerstone offerings were placed underneath houses to protect the inhabitants. It was also worn by Roman gladiators to ensure their survival in the arena.

Another Roman, though, Pliny the Elder, in the first century, suggested that the mythical origins of amber were just that— mythical. He felt that amber was actually the resin of a pine-like tree. Indeed, the Romans called amber succinum (from the Latin sucus meaning sap or juice) because of its resinous nature.

Amber is found in many places around the world, but the most well known is from the Baltic region, where it was created at least 40 million years ago from a sticky resin from trees that lived in the “amber” forest in what is now Scandinavia. Over millions of years, the resin fossilized into amber. Although not an actual mineral, it is still considered a gemstone. Since the fossilization process is ongoing, and amber continues to change, it can be thought of as a true living gem.

This gem comes in several colours, with the most common being yellow-orange, but it ranges from white to light lemon to brown and even near black. Uncommonly, it can be red, green, and blue (rare and found mostly in the Dominican Republic). Amber can also be transparent or cloudy and opaque.

As was so sensationally demonstrated in Jurassic Park, amber may contain inclusions of insects, as well as spiders, plant remains, hairs, feathers, bubbles, and even small lizards, the most famous being Gierlowska’s Lizard, immortalized in amber, on display at the Amber Museum in Gdansk.

The museum also has one of only two known pieces with a solifuge inclusion. Organic inclusions have been studied by scientists for over 150 years, and provide the basis for describing nearly 3,000 species of animals and almost 300 species of plants, invaluable information about the era when amber was forming. Inclusions, make amber even more collectible.

Art and Jewellery

Amber has been used for centuries for jewellery and art objects—and even for medicinal purposes. During the 16th and 17th centuries, celebrated craftsmen used amber to make large coffers, religious items, and altars as well as items of everyday decoration and use. The Castle Museum in Malbork Castle (near Gdansk) has one of the world’s most famous collections of early amber artwork and jewellery. For the museum’s 50th anniversary, it was totally renovated, under the direction of its curator, Dr. Anna Sobecka, and now provides a splendid setting for these extraordinary pieces.

Among modern day amber craftsmen, Lucjan Myrta (who was awarded Amber Personality of the Year by the International Amber Association, IAA), is the most famous, having created items ranging from small statues to very large pieces of furniture. Myrta is dedicated to keeping amber crafts alive by translating them into modern as well as traditionallyinspired works of art.

The amber jewellery seen at Amberif encompassed a wide range of styles and types. Most used the traditional yellow to orange colours set in silver, while others displayed gold and diamond combinations, as well as stylized pieces on steel wires or leather cords. The multitude of styles seen at the show were just as fashionable as fine jewellery found anywhere in the world. The most interesting aspect of amber is that each stone is different in terms of colour, inclusions, shape, and size.

Since most companies are small and family-run, their jewellery tends to be an expression of many individual designers.

Since pictures convey more than words, a few examples of amber jewellery from some of the more prominent Polish companies are shown here.

Classifications, Treatments, and Imitations

As for other gem types, amber is sometimes subjected to treatments when used for jewellery. The most common acceptable treatment is a heating process allowing jewellers to obtain transparency, the desired cognac colour, and air bubbles called “scales.” In order to clarify treatments and types of amber for the industry and consumers, the International Amber Association has developed the following classification of Baltic amber gemstones.

Natural Baltic Amber (Succinite)

Gemstone, which has undergone only mechanical treatment (e.g. grinding, cutting, turning, or polishing) without any change to its natural properties

Modified Baltic Amber (Succinite)

Gemstone subjected only to thermal or high-pressure treatment, which changes its physical properties, including the degree of transparency and colour, or shaped under similar conditions out of one nugget, previously cut to the required size.

Reconstructed (Pressed) Baltic Amber (Succinite)

Gemstone made of Baltic amber pieces pressed under high temperature and under high pressure without additional components.

Bonded Baltic Amber (Succinite)

Gemstone consisting of two or more parts of natural, modified, or reconstructed Baltic amber bonded together with the use of the smallest possible amount of a binding agent necessary to join the pieces.

Just like in the gemstone sector, there are a minority of unscrupulous dealers that sell fake amber as the real product. Among the many imitations are glass, plastic, synthetic resins, natural or modified sub-fossil resins (such as Colombian copal or New Zealand kauri copal), pressed Baltic amber with the addition of plastic or copal, and amber crumbs embedded in natural and artificial resins.

Amber imitations are not new, and are produced nearly all around the world. Although fake amber has different chemical and physical properties, it can sometimes be difficult to tell it from real amber. Pressed amber, however, has the same properites, making this even more difficult to distinguish. Purchasing from a trusted dealer is therefore important.

To ensure that customers can feel confident in purchasing real Baltic amber, the IAA has established a system of certification and recommendations for companies, which attests to “the correctness of the processing method, the good quality of the entire product, as well as to the company’s reliability.”

This certification is a guarantee of the authenticity of the raw material—exclusively Baltic amber—and thus offers protection against fakes and substitutes.

Recommended companies must comply with the Amber Classification System created by the IAA.

People have been fascinated with amber for thousands of years, whether as a material for beautiful art and jewellery, or for its supposed medicinal or magical properties. And, there can be no doubt that the attraction and appeal of amber will continue for many eons to come.