AMBER - THE GEM OF  CENTURIES

In ancient times amber was so revered it was available only to nobility. Ladies of the Roman court desired it for it's brilliant hue. Throughout Europe amber was worn as protection from evil spells and various and sundry illnesses.

Amber is fossilized tree resin, commonly yellow to honey colored, some so pale the amber seems colorless. Approximately 250 color varieties are known, caused by stains of minerals or compounds resulting from the decomposition of organic debris enclosed in the amber. True amber is warm to the touch and if rubbed vigorously, it gives off a piney scent.

Amber is one of the few gem stones of organic rather than mineral origin. The resin was formed by prehistoric evergreen, pine, cypress and other trees which once flourished in large forests as much as 50 million years ago.

For centuries amber came primarily from the shores of the Baltic Sea. Glacial coverings, severe climatic changes and submersion in salt millions of years ago caused the sticky resin to slowly form a compound of great hardness and stability. Amber has many uses from varnish used on ship decks and violins to pharmaceutical preparations and photographic chemicals.

Today only one tenth of the amber production is suitable for jewelry. Over a thousand species of now extinct insects have been found in amber. Fossilized insects in Baltic amber occur in about only one in a thousand.

The fine jewelry, with the variety of worked pieces we offer are sure to please, royalty or not.