In the rays of the sun, amber glows softly and feels warm to the touch. The stone is very fragile and easily breaks when dropped, at the same time it is plastic. Amber melts at 350 degrees and emits a pleasant aroma when burned.

Today, scientists have proven that amber is a modified resin of trees of the Tertiary period (the beginning of the period occurred 65 million years ago, duration was about 63 million years). In this period, approximately 45 - 50 million years ago, the Earth experienced a warming and humidification of the climate. Therefore, some trees began to give off resin, especially pine trees. Resin solidified on the ground accumulated in the soil, and the rivers gradually carried away its solidified pieces.

Mostly amber color is from white to dark brown. However, there are minerals of blue, green, red.





- Density - 1.05 - 1.3 g / cm3;
- Fracture - viscous, conch-like;
- Hardness - 2.1 - 2.5 units;
- Pleochroism - absent;
- No cleavage.

In nature, there are transparent, translucent, opaque stones.
Gloss - waxy, resinous.
Amber is quite fragile.

In nature, amber is found in the form of pieces of various sizes and shapes. Inside the stone, you can see blotches in the form of insects or plants, and outside they can be unremarkable and covered with a weathering crust.



Most stones are found to be opaque. Due to small voids, bubbles and liquids, microcracks occur in them. Only the highest quality, largest and most uncontaminated specimens are suitable for jewelry. Most of the mined amber is used for industrial needs. Pressed amber is created from small stones and waste.

Sunstone is well polished. Amber is flammable and can ignite from a match. There is one more property that amber possesses - electrification during friction. Electrified amber can attract small and light objects such as fluff, straw, etc. Ancient Greeks called it an electron.



There are several types of amber:

1. Succinite (Baltic amber) is the most famous and widespread variety, accounting for up to 98% of the amber on the market. The rest of the resins are considered amber-like, but they are no less beautiful.

2. Glessit - opaque amber with a brown tint.

3. Bockerite - opaque and elastic amber with a dark color.

4. Gedanite - waxy yellow amber.

5. Stanthienite - amber of black color, rather fragile variety.

Amber differs in shape, color and transparency. The sizes of pieces and pieces of amber are from 1 mm to several kilograms, the most common are 0.2 - 0.3 kg. The more turbid the stone, the lower its cost.

Baltic amber is divided into grades:

Batter (transparent), smoky (translucent), cloudy (translucent in thin chips), bone (white, ivory-like), red (opaque), layered (white), foamy (porous and lightest, resembling frozen foam in color) , dirty (gray to black) and overburden (red, with a thick oxidation crust).

Amber with inclusions (inclusions from the remains of insects, plants, bark, needles) had a special value at all times. Such inclusions of fauna and flora are of great interest to scientists. In Chiapas, Mexico, the Hidden Stone Museum contains about 10,000 specimens with inclusions.

Colors and shades of amber

Nature has endowed amber with a huge wealth of colors. Amber specialists count about 350 shades.There are unique finds in which almost all the colors of the rainbow are found. The usual colors are orange, honey-yellow, golden with reflections of the sun's rays. There are stones of white, yellow, blue, red and almost black color.



Stones of the color of thick tea with a cherry tint are very much appreciated. And in Sicily, emerald green, bluish and even purple amber is mined. Blue amber is very rare. It is harder than other types of amber, difficult to process, and its cost is very high.

In Japan, striped amber is found, it looks like agate. The whole range of colors is due to the origin of amber and impurities in it.

As you can see, each grade of amber has a specific color and transparency.

Amber deposits

The palm tree for the wealth of the sun stone belongs to the Baltic coast. Some of the highest quality and finest stones are mined here, and in large quantities. The main exporters of amber are Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Poland. Amber is mined in Burma, France, Germany, Holland, Czech Republic, Sweden, Sicily. There are also other deposits.

The largest pieces from 5 to 15 kg were found off the coast of the Baltic Sea. According to rough estimates of specialists in Kaliningrad, in the village of Yantarny, up to 80% of the world's amber wealth is concentrated. The second largest field is in Mexico, on the Yucatan Peninsula. Amber is found in China, Japan. Sometimes the sun stone is found in Siberia, Kamchatka, Finland, Portugal, Spain and some other countries.

The healing properties of amber

For a long time it was believed that amber heals almost all diseases. Lithotherapists still actively use amber in medical practice. It helps with angina, headache, improves heart function, softens the effects of magnetic storms.

The stone has a beneficial effect on the entire body as a whole, helping with joint diseases, varicose veins and even with various neoplasms, including malignant ones. Amber is a stone of organic origin, which is probably why it can fight many diseases.

It has long been known that it is useful to wear amber beads in case of thyroid disease. Amber contains iodine, which is essential for the normal functioning of the gland. It also contains other elements useful for the body, for example, iron, magnesium, calcium, zinc, as well as salts of succinic acid, which have a beneficial effect on the metabolism and the digestive system.

Amber - Magical properties

Looking at the sun stone, it is not at all difficult to guess what magical properties people have endowed with it since antiquity. Amber is considered a symbol of happiness and health. It is already clear that the radiant stone has a beneficial effect on health. But from ancient times it was used as a talisman, moreover, a powerful one, believing that it will bring good luck, joy and peace to the house. The stone was also used in religious rites, amber gives off a pleasant smell when burned.

Amber and the signs of the zodiac in astrology

Amber gives warmth and sunshine to everyone, but is considered the stone of Leo. It is this zodiac sign that can expect a lot from amber. The stone will give its owner and energy, and the achievement of success, and power.

For Leo, an amulet with amber is a reliable protection from ill-wishers. Actually, amber is kind to everyone. He generously shares the energy accumulated over the centuries. Sunstone accepts any setting: gold, silver, platinum. Amber combines well with other minerals.

The appearance of the stone is quite bright, so you should not be too zealous putting on a lot of amber jewelry. The stone is beautiful, exquisite and almost never goes out of style.