What amber is

Fossilised tree resin, not a mineral. Conifers wept resin, the resin caught whatever was on the bark at that moment, and then it was buried — quickly, deeply and away from air — and hardened until the volatile compounds were gone. Baltic amber is the variety rich in succinic acid, which is why it is called succinite.

You will see a figure of tens of millions of years attached to this almost everywhere. We read the evidence differently, and we set out why on a separate page rather than burying it here.

Where we stand

Colours

Inclusions

An inclusion is anything caught in the resin before it hardened: an insect, a fragment of bark, a bubble of trapped air. Value follows how complete the specimen is and how clearly it reads, not size alone. Look for the whole animal, near the surface, in clear resin — and for a seller who tells you when a piece has been polished thin to reveal it.

Real, or not

Some of these risk damage. They are here so you know what dealers do, not as advice for jewellery you own.

Amber, copal and pressed amber

The difference between amber and copal is state, not age. What matters is how completely the resin lost its volatile compounds, and that depends on heat, pressure and how well it was sealed — not on a date.

We test the stone, not the calendar. A date is a claim; hardness is something you can check in your hand.

On health claims

Much is written online about amber and health. We make no such claims and do not sell amber as a remedy.

Longer pieces in the journal