Generally about amber
Despite undisputed scientific knowledge about the origins of Baltic amber, some people and cultures still cling to a more mythical and mystical origin for the gemstone, postulating that the rays of the setting sun have become trapped and congealed in the sea to form amber; therefore wearing an item of Baltic amber jewellery would surely warm your heart, keep your body healthy and your mind focused.
Amber has captivated people from all corners of the world, and Baltic amber specifically has been traded over long distances for thousands of years. Referring to amber generally, and not necessarily Baltic amber in particular, the gemstone is known by a variety of names reflecting each individual country’s own version of the origin of amber. Some of these names seem to share a certain degree of commonality though; Petrified Light’, Sun Tears’, ‘Sea Gold’, ‘Captured Sunlight’, ‘Freja’s Tears’, ‘Tears of the Heliades’, ‘Sun Stone’, and ‘Gold of the North’ being examples.
Despite the worldwide popularity and fame of Baltic amber, Gdansk in Poland remains the centre of production of Baltic amber jewellery, with several thousand individual craftsmen fashioning a wide range of jewellery, often mounted in Sterling silver, the production of which originated in the area several hundred years ago. Of course, using Baltic amber as a raw material in the crafting of artefacts goes back a lot further; archaeological finds of amber amulets in the form of animals and deities, and small figurines depicting mythical heroes date back thousands of years. Throughout all of the long history of Baltic amber it has always been a valuable commodity, a Roman historian writing that ‘among luxury goods it is valued so highly that an amber figurine, no matter how small, costs much more than slaves in their prime.’
Nowadays Baltic amber is recovered and even mined commercially, providing a steady supply
for the production of amber jewellery. Yet it is not only desired for its beauty and relative scarcity by the jewellery industry, Baltic amber is also sought after by the scientific community, specifically for its inclusions of insects and plant matter dating from the period when the amber was formed, fifty million years ago. With modern technology, scientists are able to study these samples in great detail and discover many interesting facts about some of the flora and fauna of the time. As yet though, they have been unsuccessful in their attempts to extract any viable DNA from specimens, and possibly re-create creatures from the distant past, no matter how small.
I don’t think they’re really trying to do this though, and anyhow I doubt it would ever by viable – a piece of Baltic amber jewellery containing a spectacular inclusion will always be an instant topic of lively conversation though
About the Author
All of Amber Pleasure‘s items are located in the UK and were handmade in Poland from original Baltic Amber and .925 Sterling silver.
All our jewellery is brand new and has been correctly hallmarked. We do not deal with plated or bonded silver. All of the pictures were taken by us; they show the actual product that you are buying.
Our policy is to constantly create new designs to make our jewellery both fashionable and interesting for our customers and business partners; but our priority is to augment and show off the natural beauty of the amber stones we use, by utilising the highest quality work of our silversmiths. We only use genuine Baltic amber in a variety of shades to emphasise the best features of each stone.
“Empty Love” by Amber Vexation – LIVE
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