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WHAT IS AMBER?
Amber, simply put, is ancient tree sap that has turned to stone over time.
Scientifically, amber is the resin of certain trees that has fossilized over
millions of years. It is a light, organic substance that is usually yellow
or orange in color and often transparent. It is formed by trees exuding
resin, usually through breaks or cuts in the bark. Once the resin is
expelled, it hardens and drops to the ground. It is eventually buried in the
dirt at the base of the tree and hardens further. Over the next few thousand
years, this resin is called COPAL, which is still soft and essentially
unfossilized. Copal is usually much younger in age than true amber, and is
much less desirable to jewelry makers and collectors. Copal that is preserved
in sandstone will eventially become amber over time - Copal that is preserved
in clay will take much longer to fossilize. This transformation is called
"amberization", and is an ongoing process that takes millions of years. At
this point, this inert resin is considered to be true fossilized amber.
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WHERE IS AMBER FOUND?
Amber deposits are found in many different parts of the world, but most of
the sources are small and localized. The majority of these areas do not produce
commercial quality amber, but a select few have supplied most of the amber we
see today. The two main areas that commercially mine amber are Europe's Baltic
Coast and the Dominican Republic (less productive sites include Mexico, Burma,
and New Jersey). Both sites are generally regarded as the two best
amber-producing localities in the world. Most of the amber we offer on our
website will be from either the Baltic Region or the Dominican Republic.
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BALTIC AMBER
Baltic Amber comes from Eastern Europe countries near the Baltic Sea (Poland,
Lithuania, Russia, etc.). It is Eocene in age (approximately 50 million years
old). Baltic Amber is usually lemon-yellow to orange in color, and ranges in
quality from opaque to clear. Usually, the clear to semi-clear amber is used
for jewelry, although some cheaper jewelry uses the cloudy amber. Most insect
inclusions are found in the clear amber, making the identification and
photographing of these insects relatively easy. Many different insects have
been identified in Baltic Amber, as were plants and some unusual animals. These
inclusions are highly collectible and extremely valuable. Some of the insects
found in Baltic Amber have never been found anywhere else in the world.
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DOMINICAN AMBER
Dominican Amber comes from the Dominican Republic on the island of Hispanola.
It is regarded as being Oligocene in age (40 million years old), although some
experts argue the age may range from 15 to 50 million years old. Dominican
Amber ranges from light yellow to a deep, dark red (green and blue amber have
been found, but they are extremely rare). Usually, commercial Dominican Amber
is slightly darker than Baltic Amber, being varying shades of orange (honey
to cognac colored). Almost all Dominican Amber is clear, making it a perfect
medium for jewelry. The insect inclusions are usually more diverse than Baltic
Amber, and more plants and flowers seem to be found in Dominican Amber. These
inclusions are highly collectible and extremely valuable. Some of the insects
found in Dominican Amber have never been found anywhere else in the
world.
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FAKE AMBER
Unfortunately, anytime an item is regarded as valuable, it will be copied and
faked. Amber is no exception. There are two main types of fake amber - natural
and man-made. An example of natural fake amber is Copal. Copal looks like
amber - light yellow or brown and clear with natural insect inclusions. But it
is almost too transparent - very little color and usually clear as glass. It
also smells like pine when rubbed. Most Copal on the market comes from Columbia,
South America. It is sometimes referred to as "Rainforest Amber" and sold as
true amber. Its value is a fraction of true amber, so occasionally it is passed
off as amber to unsuspecting buyers. Also, Copal seems to have more prolific
inclusions - many insects in one piece. True amber rarely produces such "swarms"
- Copal does. Man-made resins, too, can be made to resemble amber. Some modern
plastics make it very hard to differentiate it from amber without chemical
tests. One rule of thumb about inclusions in fake amber - is it too good to be
true? Is it a frog, a butterfly, a lizard, or an extremely large insect -
things usually astronomically rare in amber? If it is, it is almost definitely
a fake - modern Copal or man-made resin.
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AMBERCOMPANY.COM
AmberCompany.com only sells REAL AMBER on this website - never Columbian Copal
or man-made resin. We guarantee each and every item we offer to be true
fossilized amber. We supply amber specimens to museums and universities around
the world, and private collectors alike. If you have a question about our amber,
simply contact us. If you have a piece of "amber" you would like us to identify,
just let us know - we will do our best. Thank you for visiting AmberCompany.com,
and enjoy your trip back in time!
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