How is Amber Formed? Well Here’s Where You Find Out!

Amber has a humble roots – literally! It comes from an organic source: trees! This is why you may have heard the term “organic gemstone” thrown around when discussing amber. (However unlike other things that have an organic label, we’re not going to charge an arm and a leg for it ) Amber is actually formed from the resin of trees; this resin becomes fossilized over millions of years if the right conditions are met. Most often amber comes from pine trees. In this picture Tim the tree is just relaxing and having a good time …

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44 Million Year Old Spider Has Uninvited Guest

Have you ever seen the original Jurassic Park movie? The concept is based on the whimsical idea that scientists can clone Dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures that have been trapped in fossilized amber by extracting their preserved DNA.

While this idea may have been far-fetched at the time it was written, scientists today are using amber to learn some pretty interesting things. In the Discover Magazine article of March 25^th, 2011, Michael Ohl, an employee of Berlin’s Museum of Natural History, has been working with the museum’s collection of prehistoric spiders trapped in amber. His work is centered around insects called mantidflies and their method of spider-boarding. .

Ohl has found a beautiful example of this behaviour amidst the museum’s collections. It’s a 44 million year old piece of amber with a spider inside it. And there, latched onto its underside just as its modern relatives do, is a mantidfly larva. It can be seen in the detailed photos above:  it’s facing to the right and you can clearly see the three legs on its right side.

Spider-boarding is practiced by a group of insects called mantidflies. The larvae of most mantidfly species are fussy diners – they only eat the eggs of spiders. That seems like a dangerous enough strategy, for spiders are formidable hunters. But it gets crazier – some mantidflies find spider egg sacs by hitching a ride on the backs of adults.

 Amber is a window into our past. Science now has yet another link from the past to help people better understand the natural world. We commend the work of Mr. Ohl, and we hope that scientists can continue to learn about the past from amber.

Maybe one day we will be able to see the Dinosaurs in the Zoo. In the meantime we can dream about this idea while peering into one of our collectible amber stones.

Bet You Did Not Know These Facts About Baltic Amber…

The Fascinating World of Amber

Its allure is obvious, its charm is unmistakable, its appeal is widespread, and its beauty is unmistakable, but still what exactly is amber? Why do people hold it so dear to their hearts, what’s the big deal? Read on, and you’ll find yourself immersed in the story of this natural wonder– be careful though, for just like the insects in our special collection of amber with natural inclusions, you may just find yourself trapped in a world of amber!

How Amber Is Created

So, what separates amber from other precious and semi-precious stones? The answers lies in its organic roots, and when we say roots, we mean it in both the literal and figurative sense. Amber is the product of organic resin from ancient trees. Not to be confused with tree sap, the dense resin emerges from just below the tree bark, and if the right conditions are met, the resin will fossilize, and eventually, after a little time passes (a few million years) the result will be a piece of amber that after being polished, is ripe for adorning a stunning piece of jewelry.

The Origins of Amber as Jewelry

Now before reading that, you may have thought, “I don’t know how it’s formed, but I know it looks pretty.” This would put you in the same boat as some of our earliest civilized ancestors. Some people date the use of amber for decorative purposes back to the bronze ages (roughly 3,000 BC – 1,000 BC.) However it may have been used for jewelry even long before then. Entomologist and museum curator David Grimaldi writes of polished amber beads being found in Southern England that could date back to 11,000 BC! Over 13,000 years, and still in demand; in fact during the Middle Ages the demand was so high for amber prayer beads was so high that anyone without the proper authority would be hanged for collecting amber stones. Luckily for you there are no Teutonic Knights guarding the king’s supply of amber anymore, and whether it’s religious amber jeweler, or just a gorgeous set of earrings, you can get them with ease nowadays (and free shipping on orders over $75! )

Common Myths

With such a rich history, it’s no wonder that amber jewelry plays such a prominent role in the culture of societies so far separated by geography. When societies moved away from egalitarian hunter-gatherer societies, and onto agricultural based societies, that relied on trade, amber was a highly sought after commodities and made its way around the world. A Chinese legend tells that the honey colored amber stone is the spiritual remains of a tiger, and to wear an amber pendant, or amulet would give someone the strength and courage of a noble beast. Many cultures also believe amber protects children from harm, its luster providing a guide for the power of good to protect them from the evil in the world. Other tales tell of amber being the tears of the gods, Norse mythology tells of Freya the mother of Odin crying tears of amber, and Greek mythology tells the same tale of Phaethon, son of Helios god of the son, being mourned by his sisters, whose tears turned into stones of amber.

Natural Healing Powers

Now, we hope those tales of crying mythological figures didn’t get you too sad, because aside from wearing a beautiful amber ring, or amber bracelet, there is much talk of the healing, and medicinal properties of amber. According to the world of metaphysics, Amber emits a soothing calming light, known to enhance mental clarity. Amber’s organic roots, and close relationship with the earth supposedly draw negative energy, and illness, and anything unnatural from the wearer, thus purifying them, and restoring the natural vitality of life. It has been common practice to wear an amber necklace, especially an amber beaded necklace, to help ease the pain of a sore throat. Not only that, but wearing an amber necklace is said to work wonders on helping children deal with the hardships of teething, this can be attested to by not only tales of folk-lore and legend, but by many smiling children, and happy parents who can now get a good night’s sleep thanks to amber. Amber also carries with it a negative electrical charge, bringing your body back in balance if you’re over stimulated, or restless. Small pieces of amber are occasional used in skin care products for their regenerative and restorative properties. The list could go on and on, seemingly ever culture that has come into contact with amber make claims uses for healing the body and/or mind. From clearing up the respiratory system, to aligning chakras, to helping with thyroid issues, even the most skeptical of curiosities would be peaked after learning of the innumerous claims backing up amber’s healing properties.

Knowing What to Look For When Buying Amber

Chances are however that you’re in the market for a piece of amber for aesthetic purposes, you want a piece of jewelry, and you want a beautiful piece of jewelry. Well you’re in the right place, despite the lore surrounding amber; the main attraction people have with it is its beauty. The incandescent sun glistening through a green amber ring and lighting up all of its natural inclusions is going to make it more appealing than anything else. Or maybe not green, maybe you prefer butterscotch, or cherry red, or citrine, or honey, or cognac, amber jewelry comes in a rainbow of colors! Each piece of amber is truly unique. Many pieces contain natural inclusions, or bits of organic matter caught up in the tree resin before it solidified, and fossilized. These inclusions make the light dance around the amber stone making it shine like no other piece of jewelry you have ever seen.

Just as every person has their own unique personality, characteristics, and charms, so does each piece of amber, and we’re positive we can match you up with your perfect piece of amber. Do you prefer something with more of a natural flair, something to highlight your natural beauty, a look that defies refined standards, and exemplifies the pure spirit of life? Our natural amber bracelets are just the thing showcases the raw beauty of nature, to compliment a casual outfit, or to add a gorgeous contrast to something more formal.

Perhaps you’re looking for a gift with a touch of class, and classical appeal, a piece of jewelry to show that special someone how much you care. Well then, take a look at our amber cameo pendants. Made of beautifully polished Baltic amber; the traditional art of etching an image into amber has been perfected by modern technology. Artists use the amber stone as their canvas for making a beautiful three dimensional work of art. Symbolizing the meeting of two worlds, nature and art, our cameo pendants, and cameo rings are the perfect anniversary gift to show her how she means the world to you.

Amber Laine: A Great Source for Fashion, Amber, and Gemstone Jewelry

Be sure to check out our sister store Amber Laine. You’ll find a selection of 100% natural top-of-the-line amber jewelry which you would expect from our site, but Amber Laine also focuses on a unique line of Fashion Jewelry and Gemstones as well. Whether you’re looking for a turquoise bead necklace, a amethyst ring, or a sterling silver pendant, or a fashion bracelet you’ll find it at Amber Laine. Our eclectic, always updated collection of jewelry is something to see, and our low prices are something to act quick on! Check out 2010 hot jewelry trends, and get a heads up on 2011′s upcoming looks.

You Need to Check Your Amber! It Could be Fake!

Ah Amber, it’s in such high demand that often people will try to sell fakes! The nerve of some people. There are even cases of people drilling holes in the fake amber, putting an insect, or in some cases even a frog or a lizard in the replica stone, and then filling it back up, and claiming its a rare piece of amber with a wonderful specimen trapped inside it. It’s not easy to distinguish real amber from fakes, but we have some tests you can preform, and hints to help you along the way.

The first, and most common test to preform is the buoyancy test. This only works on the amber stone, so if it is attached to silver, or any other kind of material, it will not give accurate results. The test is simple enough however – take two tablespoons of salt, dissolve in eight ounces of water, and drop the amber stone in question in the solution, if the “amber” sinks well we’re sorry, but that’s not real amber. Real amber will float

If you’re worried that your “amber” stone may just be a plastic replica, a taste test is a good way to distinguish the two. Gently clean your amber, and give it a quick taste, natural amber should give off no unpleasant or distinct taste, however its plastic imitations will give off the noticeable taste of chemicals.

Amber is a good conductor of static electricity. If you have a piece of velvet rub the amber swiftly and rapidly against it until the amber is warm to the touch. Then place the stone over a tissue lying flat on the surface, the amber stone should attract the tissue – if it is real that is.

There are plenty of ways to test amber out there, but these are some of the ones we feel most comfortable with. Shop with ease at The Russian Store, as we’ve yet to find an imitation among our selection of amber jewelry!

How to Clean Your Amber Jewelry

We receive a lot of questions from customers, and Amber collectors, on how to properly clean, and care for, their favorite pieces of amber. So if you’re new to the world of amber, or just looking to mantain the beauty of some of your favorite pieces, we’re here to help with this video!

If you’ve like to learn more about our Amber Jewelry, just click here!

Your going to want to start with:

• -Two containers of water.
  -A toothbrush
  -Some liquid Soap
  -Some olive oil.
  -And a few towels

-The first step is to mix a small amount of liquid soap in the water.

-Next take the toothbrush, dip it in the soap and water mixture, and scrub the amber gently.

• -You’re going to want to focus on the area wear the silver meets the amber, or in the case of amber without silver, in between the amber stones, or beads.

-Next, rinse off any residue from the soap, by washing off the amber in your other container of water.

-Then take a very small amount of olive oil, apply it to your hand, (or finger depending on the size of the amber) and work it into the stone. This will keep your stone with a beautiful luster.

• -Remember to be careful when cleaning Amber has an approximately Mohs Hardness Value of 2.5, which means it’s a very soft gemstone, and can be scratched.

Amber Jewelry by The Russian Store

Amber is probably the first gemstone to be worn as jewelry; it was used in adornment making as far ago as Neolithic epoch of the Bronze and the Iron Ages. Especially wide application in producing jewelry and artistic items from amber found in 17th-18th centuries.

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