The gem is distinguished by a rich palette of shades - more than 300 in total. The predominant colors are from sunny yellow to cognac orange.
It is these specimens that are found in the Baltic region. Amber of other shades is the rarest and most expensive .
Amber products have adorned the life of mankind for thousands of years. Rings and necklaces made from this material are often found at Neolithic sites in northern and central Europe.
Thanks to the extraordinary beauty of this precious “stone”, in the myths and legends of different peoples it was attributed to divine origin. It was believed that amber was the tears of the gods shed for fallen heroes, or fragments of the sun that fell into the sea.
The ancient Roman scientist Pliny the Elder was the first to solve the mystery of the origin of the gem, proving its organic origin.
Amber, indeed, is not a stone or mineral, but is the hardened resin of ancient coniferous trees. Its formation took place tens of millions of years ago, under the influence of changing climatic conditions.
Amber
Currently, the organic mineral is mined in a number of European countries, North America, Mexico, Myanmar and the Dominican Republic.
The world's largest amber deposit is located in the Kaliningrad region.
World record holder from Sumatra
The largest piece of amber is in the Gem Museum located in Copenhagen. It was found by Indonesian miners in the western part of the island of Sumatra in 2014. Having studied the photo, it is easy to notice that the mineral has a brown tint and an almost opaque structure. But when exposed to ultraviolet radiation or sunlight, it glows unusually with a bluish tint.
The largest amber in the world, 47.5 kg
When the gem was discovered, its weight at that time was about 80 kg. Today the parameters of a piece of petrified tree resin are as follows:
- weight – 47.5 kg;
- length – 57.5 cm;
- width – 62 cm;
- height – 37 cm.
The found mineral was examined by Austrian specialists and determined to be the purest amber. In their opinion, the age of the giant is supposedly 25 million years.
Jewelers' Blue Horror
Blue is a rare color of the Dominican gem, which ranks second in the world in terms of amber deposits after the Baltic. The unique stone is mined in the only mine on earth - Palo Quemado, located in the Cordillera mountains.
In nature, blue tropical amber is less common than diamonds and emeralds. Thanks to inclusions of volcanic ash in the dark, it glows from the inside with a golden light.
The Dominican beauty is recognized as the most transparent and durable among its fellows, which creates great problems when cutting. A rare stone is trusted to experienced jewelers who work with diamonds.
Silver "Burmese" leader
“Burmese” amber is also a real giant. The age of the treasure dates back to 97 million years. Found in the upper part of Burma in mining conditions, the “sun” stone weighed 15.25 kg. It had a brownish-yellow color.
Amber from Burma, 15.25 kg
After careful study, they decided to present the stone to the world. That is why today it is a decoration of the Natural History Museum in London. On display in the same museum are other, smaller specimens with various types of inclusions.
Ukraine
Amber mining is also actively carried out in Ukraine. Here the largest deposit is located in the Rivne region. Open pit mining is carried out near:
• Klesova; • Sarn; • Dubrovitsy.
The depth of the amber layer, compared to the Russian Federation, is purely symbolic - no more than 10 meters. This greatly simplifies the work and reduces its cost. However, the final cost of the minerals is not very different, since the saturation of the formation is approximately half that of the Russian indicator - 0.25 kg per cubic meter of soil. In addition, the fraction of stones is smaller - we are mainly talking about specimens of 10-100 mm.
In Ukraine, up to 5 tons are mined annually, but due to the intensification of black miners in recent years, the real figure may be twice as high as the official one.
The largest amber stones in the world
The third largest stone is the stone, weighing up to 12 kg. It was discovered back in the 19th century by Prussian explorers. Experts estimated the cost of the giant gem at 25 thousand francs. Such a figure at that time was simply a fabulous amount.
Amber from Prussia, 12 kg
In our century, “stones of the Sun” of slightly smaller sizes, the weight of which reached 5.7 kg and 6.75 kg, were found near the city of Gusev, Kaliningrad region.
Color spectrum
- Honey: light brown to dark brown;
- Caramel: white and milky;
- Citrus: transparent light yellow;
- Cherry: deep dark red;
- Green: dark green with brown tint;
- Blue: brown with a blue tint;
- Black: pure black or black with a gray tint;
- Antique: Opaque orange (often the oldest stone).
Amber is a wonderful addition to any collection. You can find the perfect shade to suit your taste. You can wear it as a protective amulet against illness or to attract good luck and positivity.
Where are the gem storages?
The largest deposits of amber are located in the Baltic region in places where mainly coniferous forests were located during the Paleogene period. Baltic amber consists of 97% resin produced by the pine species Pinus sussinifera.
Amber deposits
The formation of fossilized resin of ancient trees was facilitated by a sharp critical change in the flora of our planet. A significant increase in temperature and climate humidification provoked massive growth of deciduous trees and abundant resin flow of conifers. As it oxidized with oxygen, the resin became covered with a thick crust and, in this form, already accumulated in the soil of the “amber forest.”
Amber from the Baltic Sea
More than 105 tons of the mineral were mined on the Baltic Sea coast. For this reason, it is often called the gold of the Baltic. The peculiarity of Baltic gems is that they are among the soft stones that are easy to scratch even with a knife.
Blue amber from the Dominican Republic
There are no less rich deposits of amber in the Dominican Republic. In its vastness, amber stones of blue shades are most often found. They are the hardest among analogues. Therefore, not every master is able to process them. The main advantage of such stones is their ability to phosphoresce, which is very important when using them to create jewelry.
Amber with a 10 cm lizard
Deposits in the states of Mexico and Nicaragua are valuable because when mining on these lands, inclusions are often encountered - plants and parts of mammals “stuck” in the resin.
Magic properties
Sunny light stone amber is a symbol of good magic, the significance of which is difficult to overestimate. It is used only to protect and attract good events into a person’s life. For centuries, black magicians wanted to use the gem, but nothing worked for them. The stone never responds to evil wishes and has always resisted the number of the devil.
Many peoples attributed the magical properties of good luck, health, prosperity and protection to the amber stone. The talisman reliably protects its owner from damage and the evil eye. It is recommended to be worn by pregnant women. Amber beads are placed around the necks of young children to protect them from evil forces. If a nursing mother wears jewelry, her baby will grow up kind and cheerful.
The mineral instills optimism in a person’s soul and increases mental abilities. It helps to implement plans and choose the most optimal path in life. It is recommended to bring objects made from frozen ancient resin into the house, outbuildings, or into the bathhouse. This will protect the property from fires, and all inhabitants from failures. If you place a gem near your pillow, it will scare away evil spirits. A pendant or ring helps get rid of enemies, protects against lightning strikes and problems on the road.
Amber powder is used in many rituals. They set it on fire because it cleanses the space of evil spirits, evil demons, and dark thoughts. The powder is placed in church censers and is used by Hindus and Buddhists. There is evidence that it was often used in pagan rites of the Lithuanians, Slavs, and ancient Vikings. If you set fire to amber in your home, the room will become clean and filled with positive energy.
How to Charge and Cleanse a Stone
Esotericism claims that the amulet is a symbol of the Sun. According to one of the Greek legends, this is the tear of Helios (the sun god, who mourned his dead son Phaethon). Therefore, they charge the stone in direct sunlight. This needs to be done daily. Then the talisman will never lose its power.
Once a month it is washed under running water. After this, you should hold the mineral in your hand, heat it with your heat and transfer your own energy. If you dream of amber, it means it needs extraordinary cleaning. Be sure to look in the dream book, there you can find a transcript of the entire dream.
The most unusual amber fragments
The color of amber is not always yellow and orange. In nature, gems of green, white, red and blue shades are found. The best minerals are those with a transparent structure and a yellowish or red tint. Among jewelers, pieces of minerals containing water drops or air bubbles are especially valued.
Yanatr with a frog frozen inside him
The most interesting specimens are fragments with insects immured inside them. Due to the fact that amber resin has the ability to mummify its “victims,” plants and small animals that fell inside it many millions of years ago were preserved in their original form. Among such specimens, three stones are considered the most expensive:
- A fragment with a frog frozen inside it.
- Stone with a mummified 7 cm chameleon.
- Amber with a 10 cm lizard.
The cost of each of them is tens of thousands of dollars.
Which amber is the most valuable?
The value of amber is determined by several factors:
- its place of origin,
- shade,
- stone size,
- the degree of its transparency,
- presence or absence of inclusions,
- cut quality.
White, or royal amber, is the rarest type of fossilized resin found in nature. It makes up only 2% of the world production of succinite (Baltic gem). This ivory-colored stone is mined near Kaliningrad. Its price is constantly rising, and cases of counterfeit are not uncommon.
Interesting facts about the mineral
The opinion that amber is a crystalline substance is erroneous. It is a compound of organic acids, the impurities of which are iron, silicon, aluminum, sulfur and nitrogen.
Mantis in amber
Most of the minerals found in the depths of our planet are about 90 million years old. But there are also truly unique ancient specimens. So, in 2009, a fragment 320 million years old was found in Illinois.
The oldest amber is 320 million years old
The stone is credited with healing properties. Let's list just a few of them. When in contact with the body, it is able to cleanse the body of toxins, as well as give the carotid arteries an energy impulse. Many people wear amber jewelry not so much for a decorative effect, but to normalize the function of the thyroid gland and prevent asthma attacks.
Amber jewelry
Each of the giants presented in the ranking is a real rarity. This is confirmed by the fact that to count all amber stones whose weight exceeds 5 kilograms, the fingers of two palms are enough.
Gifts of the Great Overlord
King Solomon is known as one of the greatest Jewish rulers, who united the Israeli state under his rule and led it to its greatest prosperity. But he was not only a thinker - Solomon’s fame as a poet is not inferior to his laurels as a sage and a fair judge. He was inspired to create the Song of Songs by his beloved, beautiful Shulamith. And as a token of gratitude, he gave the beauty the most valuable and rare amber jewelry - they were brought from the shores of distant and cold northern seas by brave sailors. They highlighted the beauty of a woman, prolonged her youth and strengthened her health.
