I’ve seen amber sold by street vendors for much cheaper, why is that? Don’t be taken advantage of by street vendors or dealers who peddle artificial or reconstituted amber! Amber is a rare and much desired commodity; therefore it is by nature rather expensive. This is why there is an extensive black market for counterfeit amber that is in reality constructed from plastic polymers or is reconstituted in a chemical process involving the pressing of amber shavings left over from the construction of genuine amber jewelry and art. Amber that is made of plastic polymers is all but worthless, and amber that is artificially created from pressing reconstituted amber does not retain value and should not be considered an investment. Amber’s value is derived from its rarity and natural beauty; reconstituted amber that is artificially created is neither rare, nor natural. AmberRuta does not sell anything that is artificial or reconstituted; we deal exclusively with gem-quality amber of the highest distinction and quality. How do I know whom is safe to buy amber from? The safest way to ensure that the amber that you are buying is genuine is to buy it from a reputable dealer and to use common sense. Amber that is sold by dealers for unbelievably low prices are just that, unbelievable. Although deplorable, it is a sad fact of the amber industry that quite a large amount of the amber products sold are fake or sub-standard. Fortunately there are ways for an informed consumer to ensure that they are not being ripped off. How can I tell if amber is fake? Although there is no sure way to test genuine gem-quality amber from cheap reconstituted amber other than purchasing from a trustworthy dealer, the majority of counterfeit amber sold is actually made from plastic polymers. Fortunately there are several easy ways that one can test to ensure that the amber purchase they are considering or have just bought is not made from plastic polymers.
Static electricity test: This is arguably the most convenient manner to test against plastic polymers. Vigorously rub a piece of “amber” with a soft cloth until the section being rubbed is warm. Then touch the piece of “amber” to a small torn-off piece of paper. If the paper sticks to the amber, it is genuine. This is because amber is organic and holds static electricity much better than plastic polymers. Also, if you have an acute sense of smell you just might be able to smell the feint scent of pine needles if the amber is genuine, similarly as with the hot pin test described below.
Salt-water solution test: Amber is an organic compound that is unique in that it is extremely buoyant given its rating on the Moh’s Hardness Scale, while hard plastics are easily scratched and are not buoyant. Place a chunk of “amber” in a container of water that has had enough salt dissolved in it so that there is a little bit of salt that is not dissolved floating on the bottom, this means the water has reached maximum solvency. If the piece in question floats, it is made from amber. If the piece in questions sinks, it is most likely plastic polymer or some other material.
Hot pin test: Another way to test against counterfeit plastic polymers is to heat the end of a small pin with a lighter until it is very hot. Then press the hot pin onto an area of the amber that is inconspicuous and observe the reaction. Plastic polymers will smell like melted plastic and chemicals, while amber will have a sweet smell of pine needles and tree sap.
Are there different qualities or grades of amber? Though there are many different attributes that affect the value of a piece of amber, there is no particular type of amber that is considered more valuable than other types, nor is there any official grading scale such as is common with other gems such as diamonds, emeralds, or rubies. Though one piece of amber might be of a higher quality and thus be more valuable than another piece for example, this can only be determined by considering all of the various aspects relating to color, opacity, and craftsmanship together. It must be noted too that determining the value of a piece of raw amber is much different than determining the value of a piece of refined, gem-quality amber. Whereas color, opacity, and the number and manner of inclusions are the main factors that determine a raw piece of amber’s value; craftsmanship, style, and designer are key elements when determining the value of a refined piece of amber artwork. What type of amber is the most valuable? Because of amber’s various attributes that interplay with each other, it is often difficult to describe why some amber jewelry is more valuable than other jewelry. This is because perhaps the greatest factor in determining amber jewelry’s value is its originality and craftsmanship. Art has never been a commodity that has been able to conform to set pricing standards, so it is up to the customer or designer to judge whether one piece of amber jewelry is more valuable than another when taking into account all of the pieces various attributes. For example, it is possible to design a unique and well-crafted piece of amber jewelry using inexpensive, low-grade amber; just as it is possible to use expensive, high-grade amber to create a necklace of poor craftsmanship. Usually this is not the case however, as it is not cost effective. Generally speaking, reputable dealers deal with high quality amber and have extremely high standards of craftsmanship while those who are not reputable deal with poorly made amber pieces of poor quality. What are organic inclusions? Life! Organic inclusions, simply put, are bits of prehistoric organic debris suspended in a preserved state within the amber. Amber is essentially petrified tree resin that at one time was just as fluid and sticky as tree resin that you would find on trees today. Eons ago, while the tree resin was still fresh, bits of organic debris such as leaves, bits of wood, and even insects that came into contact with the tree resin would stick to and sometimes become immersed in the resin. As this resin petrified over time, it hardened into what we today call amber. Because of the unique nature of amber, these organic materials remain perfectly preserved within the amber they are encased in. Organic inclusions, especially insects, are extremely rare and thus extremely valuable. How should I take care of my new amber purchase? Although amber is a gem, like all gems it is not indestructible. However, if properly taken care, amber jewelry will not lose its beauty, originality, or value. During its transition from rough amber in its natural state to refined jewelry, it is carved and polished by craftsman. Once in its final state however, amber is not immune to the same types of scratches or nicks that were involved in its creation, and thus care should be taken not to scrape or knock amber jewelry against very rough surfaces like metal or other pieces of jewelry such as diamond rings. This is why ideally amber jewelry should be stored in a soft cloth when not being worn, so as to prevent scratching. Amber is also relatively porous by comparison to other gems, so similar care should be taken with amber jewelry as with high-quality pearls when it comes to minimizing contact with harsh chemicals or perfumes. Does amber has special properties that are beneficial to health, is this true? Amber has since ancient times been acclaimed to possess holistic properties. The ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian civilizations all revered amber for having unique health-boosting attributes. The father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, believed amber helped combat a number of ailments such as rheumatism and arthritis. Even today some forms of amber medicine are still used. It is still unproven however as to whether claims of amber’s healing properties are the result of amber’s unique biological make-up, or the result of magical powers that offer protection against evil forces as is traditional belief. |
