Amber is fossilized tree resin, not a mineral, so it is light and warm to the hand and much softer than a gemstone. Copal and plastic are sold as amber too, so buy from someone you trust.
Organic (fossil tree resin; not a mineral)
Amber
Ámbar
- Palette
- Yellow Orange Brown
- Mined in
- Poland, Russia, Dominican Republic, Myanmar, Ukraine, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Romania, Lebanon, Jordan
- Hardness
- Mohs 2.0–2.5 ?
- See-through
- translucent
- Known since
- Prehistoric
- Named for
- Arabic anbar, which first meant ambergris
- Also sold as
- succinite, Baltic amber, sucinum, electrum (ancient Greek)
- Intention
- Calm Protection
- Looking for
- Calm Clearing negativity Patience Creativity
- Water
- Keep it dry; wipe with a soft cloth
- Dye or finish
- Natural amber is sometimes warmed in oil to clear it, and cloudy pieces can be made clearer this way. Pressed amber (ambroid), made from scraps heated and squeezed together, and dyed amber are also sold, so ask which the beads are.
Not in our pieces now
385 MILLION YEARS
The oldest amber ever recovered dates to the Middle Devonian, about 385 million years ago, long before dinosaurs.
36 HOURS
German soldiers took apart the famous Amber Room in Königsberg in just 36 hours in October 1941, and its fate is still a mystery.
3,218 SPECIES
About 3,218 species of ancient insects and other creatures have been described from Burmese amber, which is about 99 million years old.
What it is
Amber is fossilized tree resin, not a mineral, and it is warm honey-gold to deep brown, light in the hand and warm to the touch. Natural pieces often hold tiny bubbles, bits of plant matter or even small insects. Copal (young resin), pressed 'ambroid', plastics and glass are all sold as amber, so it pays to know the seller.
What gives it its color
Amber is fossil tree resin that ranges from pale yellow through orange to brown; cloudy pieces get their haze from tiny bubbles, rare green or blue tints come from strong fluorescence, and pieces darken to red-brown with age. Heating in oil clears cloudy amber, and some amber is dyed.
Where it comes from
Most of the world's amber has long come from the Baltic coast, centered on the Kaliningrad region of Russia, with large amounts also mined in the Dominican Republic and Myanmar's Kachin State; Mexico's Chiapas region is another source.
In history
Amber jewelry goes back to the Stone Age, and amber ornaments turn up in Mycenaean tombs. Roman traders brought it south from the Baltic along the Amber Road, and under Nero a Roman knight collected amber for a gladiator show, returning with a lump of 13 pounds, the largest on record in his day. Amber from Myanmar has supplied China for at least 1,800 years.
What's said about it
In crystal lore, amber is the stone people keep for calm and trust. It's said to help clear away heavy thoughts and bring patience and creativity.
Amber has been traded from the Baltic coast to the Mediterranean since ancient times. Ancient writers wrote about it as sap from northern trees, and amber beads and carved amulets have been found in very old graves.
People wear it as a bracelet or a pendant on a long chain, or carry it in a pocket, and keep it dry.
How people wear or keep it: On the wrist, as a pendant on a long chain, in a pocket, or in the non-dominant hand.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, amber is paired with the solar plexus and throat chakras, so practitioners rest it there during meditation or lie down with it in place for a few quiet minutes. Day to day, the same tradition suggests keeping it close: on the wrist, as a pendant on a long chain, in a pocket. People reach for it when they want calm, clearing negativity, patience, and many set an intention when they put it on. Most practitioners cleanse a new stone first (running water only if the stone can take it, otherwise smoke or moonlight) and set it aside now and then to rest.
These are beliefs people have held and still hold about the stone, reported as such. Nothing here is a promise or a medical claim. We sell stones as jewelry, not for these effects.
Associations
The chakra and star sign this stone is usually matched with. These are popular traditions, not facts about the stone.
ChakraSolar Plexus, Throat
ZodiacAquarius, Leo
ElementFire
Also calledsuccinite, Baltic amber, sucinum
Care
- Very soft: it scratches and chips easily, so keep it apart from harder stones and out of knocks.
- Keep it away from water, salt, perfume, hairspray and solvents, which can cloud or dull the surface.
- Heat and strong sun can darken and crack it; do not leave it in a hot car.
- Wipe with a soft dry cloth and store in a pouch of its own.
How to tell what you have
- Real amber is very light and warm in the hand, floats in strongly salted water, and gives off a piney smell when warmed or rubbed.
- Copal (young resin), plastic, glass and pressed amber are all sold as amber. Plastic and glass sink in salt water, and copal turns tacky if touched with a drop of acetone, which real amber resists.
What sets the price
Price follows clarity and light color, any trapped insects or other inclusions, rare green or blue tints, and size; solid natural amber costs more than pressed amber made from fused small pieces, and young resin or plastic sold as amber is worth far less.
Rules and sourcing
Natural amber is sometimes warmed in oil to clear it, and pressed amber (ambroid) and dyed amber are also sold. The FTC jewelry guides call for a seller to disclose clarifying, pressing and dye. The FDA warns against amber teething necklaces and bracelets because of strangulation and choking, so amber jewelry is never sold for babies or for teething, and it should not be worn by an infant or while a child sleeps.
Questions people ask at our table
Is amber a crystal or a mineral?
Neither. Amber is fossilized tree resin, an organic material that hardened over millions of years. That is why it is light, warm to the touch and soft compared with real gemstones.
How can I tell real amber from copal or plastic?
Copal is young, unfossilized resin and plastic is made in a factory, and both are sold as amber. Pieces with natural inclusions are a good sign, and a reputable seller or a gem lab can confirm it.
Where does amber come from?
The Baltic coast has long been the best-known source, and trade routes carried it to the Mediterranean from ancient times. Amber is also mined in the Dominican Republic, Myanmar and Ukraine.
Can I get amber wet?
It is best kept dry. Water, salt and cosmetics can dull the surface, so put it on after perfume and take it off before swimming.
Do you carry amber?
Not at the moment. Golden jade, citrine and golden tiger eye are the stones in our pieces with a similar honey-gold color.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
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