A Farsi (Persian) term for transparent to translucent to opaque fossil resin of hydrocarbons, from extinct varieties of certain pines, particularly the Pinis succinifera (succus mean sap or gum), which flourished in Oligocene times, more than 60 million years ago. Chemically amber is an isoprene unit (C5H8) which is found in natural resins. Amber is warm to the touch, light in weight, and induces negative static electricity when rubbed. Sometimes embedded in it are remains of some extinct insects, plants, or other organic or inorganic material, from prehistoric times and/or stress marks, which resemble cracking. Opaque or cloudy amber can be clarified and changed in color, when boiled in capable oils, such as colza oil or rape oil. After treatment frequently some crack-like marks resembling nasturtium leaves and known as sun spangled can be seen. Pressed or reconstructed, amber is made by melting small fragments of the material and compressing it into blocks by hydraulic pressure.

Since the Bronze age, it has been used as ornament and talisman cut cabochon, for beads, rosaries, and carved objects. Rarely is it faceted. Sea amber occurs along certain shores, while pit amber (distinguished it from sea amber) is mined from Oligocene gravels in Myanmar (Burma) and Sicily. A variety is called muntenite from Rumania, and the variety gedanite from Poland and Mexico. Imitations are made from kauri gum, copal, ambroid, glasses, and plastics. Found from southern shores of the Baltic Sea in Poland, shores of East Germany, Sicily, Mediterranean Sea of Sicily, Upper Myanmar (Burma), Canada, Mexico, and Rumania.

Amber Aging; by heating at low temperature amber can be aged artificially.

Amber Antique; imitation beads made of celluloid resembling amber. Also called celluloid imitation amber.

Amber Care; for stringing of amber beads use silk or lined thread with a knot between two beads. Amber pieces should not be stored with other gemstones or metal objects, but in soft velvet or flannel cloths or pouches. Do not bring amber in contact with hot water, soap, detergents, perfumes, kitchen substances, hairspray, or ammonias. For cleaning and removing dust, wipe with soft flannel cloth moistened with clean lukewarm water. Stroked with clear olive oil, then cleaned with a soft cloth to remove excess the oil. ® Stringing.

Amber Classification; classification of amber is based on degrees of transparency and color shades. Generally, ambers are classified in two categories: (a) clear or transparent amber, (b) cloudy amber that is subdivided in several degrees from semitransparent to opaque.

Amber Fluorescence; amber has blue, green, yellow, orange, and frequently white fluorescence. Also called fluorescence of amber.

Amber Forest; a forest whose trees [such as cedars, pines, palms, oaks, sequoia, redwoods, olives, chestnuts, camellias, cypress, magnolias, leguminous tree Hymenaea, cinnamon trees, and Thuja occidentales (similar to white cedar or Arbor vitae)] yielded the resin that fossilized into amber.

Testing For Authenticity
There are a number of simple tests which can be used to check the authenticity of amber. When examining a specimen you should try at least 2 or 3 of the following methods. If the item in question fails any one of the tests, it could well mean the piece is not true amber.

Hardness
Amber has a hardness on Mohs scale in the region of 2 - 3. Using scratch sticks it should be reasonably straight forward to test the sample under question.

Hot Needle
Heat a needle point in a flame until glowing red and then push the point into the sample for testing. If the amber is really copal the needle melts the material quicker than amber and emits a light fragrant odor. Amber when tested does not melt as quickly and emits a sooty fume odor.

Solubility
Copal will dissolve in acetone. Dispense the acetone from an eye dropper onto a clean surface of the test specimen. Place one drop on the surface of the test piece and allow to evaporate, then place a second drop on the same area. Copal will become tacky, while amber remains unaffected by contact with acetone.

UV Light
Copal under a short-wave UV light shows hardly any color change, while amber produces a pale fluorescent shade of blue.

Friction
Rub the specimen vigorously on a soft cloth. True amber may emit a faint resinous fragrance but copal may actual begin to soften and become sticky. Amber will also become heavily charged with static electricity and will easily pick up small pieces of loose paper.

Flotation (Specific Gravity)
Mix 24 grams of standard table salt with 200 milliliters of luke warm water. Stir until completely dissolved. Amber should float in such a mixture and copal should sink.

Inclusions
Frequently amber contains Flora or Fauna inclusions. Correctly identifying the trapped insect or plant should be an excellent indicator of a pieces authenticity. Most inclusions from ancient amber are of species which are now extinct or have significantly changed from evolution.

Imitation Amber; transparent amber imitation made from kauri gum (formerly kauri pine), copal resin, ambroid, glasses, acrylic, styrene, celluloid, polyesterresin, and plastics, which contains plant and or insect inclusions or sun-spangle fissures similar to natural amber. ® Imitation amber, plastics amber imitation.

Amber in Astrology; from ancient times till today, amber is believed to have magical properties, which are related to celestial bodies, where the bodies impart their power to amber, such as its golden color being an association with the sign of Leo. Used as birthstone, as amulet bringing good future and giving protection to its wearer. Also, it is related to the name Anne.

Amber Incense; amber emits a pleasant resinous odor of pine, because of this, amber was burnt as incense in temples in Middle and Far East.

Amber in Medicine; amber was thought to possess curative power, therefore, powdered amber was mixed with honey and oil of rose for curing ear problems or dimming eyesight. Amber powder or amber oil was used in medicine in ancient times. Powder of amber was used for curing stomach diseases. Amber oil, resembling turpentine, was used against asthma and whooping cough. White powder of amber was used in cordial medicine, which is known as Gascion’s powder. Bezoar or bozoar stone is mixed with white powder as an ingredient with other materials. Syrup of amber is a mixture of succinic acid and opium and was used in China as a sedative, an anodyne, etc. ® Amber blood stilling.

Amber Oil; a reddish-brownish oil, distilled from small pieces of amber. Also called oil of amber.

Amber Pouch; a basket attached to the chest of amber fishermen for stowing amber. Also called amber cuirasse.

Amber Resins; there are more than 20 fossil amber resins, similar to succinite with different geological age, some of them are used as gems.

Ambar; a Spanish term applied to Amber. Also spelled ambeur.