Amber is one of the oldest materials people have ever worn as jewellery. It is warm to the touch, remarkably light and no two pieces are quite alike. Knowing where it comes from, how its colours arise, how to tell the real thing and how to look after it will help you enjoy it for years.
What is amber?
Despite often being called a gemstone, amber is fossilised tree resin. Resin that seeped from trees millions of years ago became buried and slowly hardened over an immense span of time. That makes amber an organic material, much like pearl or coral.
The best-known variety is Baltic amber. Its age is usually given as roughly 40 to 50 million years, although estimates vary between deposits and sources. Today the main mining area is the Kaliningrad region on the Baltic coast, and pieces still wash up on beaches in Poland, Lithuania and northern Germany after storms.
What colours does amber come in?
The range is wider than many people expect. Some shades occur naturally; others are produced by treating amber with heat and pressure. Such treatments are common in the trade and not a flaw, but they should always be declared.
| Colour | Typical look | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Honey / cognac | warm golden brown, often clear | the classic amber shade; may be natural or deepened by heat |
| Yellow / lemon | light, clear to slightly cloudy | usually natural |
| Milky / white ("royal") | opaque, creamy to ivory | caused by countless tiny air bubbles; natural but fairly rare |
| Cherry | deep reddish brown | usually darkened by heat treatment |
| Green | clear with a greenish sheen | usually the result of heat and pressure treatment |
Raw, polished and pressed amber
Raw amber is only lightly cleaned and keeps its matt, natural surface. Polished amber is ground and buffed to a high shine, which brings out its colour and any inclusions. Most amber jewellery is made from polished pieces.
Pressed amber (sometimes called reconstituted amber) is made from small fragments fused together under heat and pressure. It is genuine amber, just no longer in its original form. It tends to be more even in colour and more affordable, and a reputable seller will label it clearly.
How can I tell if amber is real?
Imitations are usually plastic or glass. You may also come across copal, a much younger resin that has not yet turned into amber. A few simple checks can give you a first impression:
- Weight and warmth: amber is very light and feels warm in your hand. Glass is noticeably heavier and feels cool.
- Salt-water test: in very salty water (stir in salt until no more dissolves) amber floats, while glass and many plastics sink. Only use this on loose stones with no metal: settings and clasps distort the result and may be damaged. Rinse the stone in clean water afterwards. Note that copal floats too.
- UV light: under a UV torch amber usually glows bluish to greenish white. Plastic and glass often react differently or hardly at all. Treated amber may glow more faintly.
We advise against the frequently quoted hot-needle test, as it leaves permanent damage on the piece. No home check replaces a gemmological examination; for valuable items, a specialist laboratory is the most reliable option.
How should I care for amber jewellery?
With a Mohs hardness of only about 2 to 2.5, amber is soft and sensitive to chemicals. A few habits keep it looking its best:
- Avoid perfume, hairspray, lotions and alcohol; put your jewellery on once cosmetics have dried.
- Keep it away from heat and long periods of direct sunlight, which can dry it out, darken it or cause fine cracks.
- Clean it with a soft cloth, slightly damp if needed, and dry it straight away. No ultrasonic cleaners or jewellery dips.
- Store it separately, for example in a fabric pouch, so harder pieces cannot scratch it.
For tips on gold, silver and gemstones, see our jewellery care guide.
Amber and health: what you should know
Amber is a lovely material to wear, but there is no scientific evidence for any health or healing effects, and we make no such claims. Most importantly: amber necklaces are not suitable for babies or toddlers. Beads can be swallowed and cause choking, and a necklace can cause strangulation. Please never put jewellery around the neck of a baby or young child, not even for sleep or under supervision.
Discover amber at IONN
At IONN in Herford you will find jewellery made from genuine amber, as well as amber pictures and icons. Browse these sections:
More jewellery topics are waiting in our guide overview.