Amber - Amber - Bernstein - 琥珀. Amber stone and its properties Color variety of amber

Amber is a unique precious stone of organic origin, the extraordinary healing and magical properties of which have been known to mankind since Neolithic times. In fact, amber is fossilized tree resin, which is tens and even hundreds of millions of years old.

History of the stone

People first began to use amber in the Neolithic era, when they acquired the first primitive tools (flint knives, bone awls, etc.) with which they processed the stone. This is evidenced by numerous finds by archaeologists in Austria, Moravia and the Hautes Pyrenees during excavations of sites of primitive people. And the first documentary mentions of amber are kept in the British Museum in London and date back to the tenth century BC.

“The solar gem,” as amber was often called, was loved in many countries around the world for many centuries and even millennia.

  • In Ancient Egypt, priests used amber to make special amber incense burners. The Egyptians also believed that amber had certain preservative properties, and used it when embalming the mummies of the pharaohs.
  • In Ancient Rome, the “amber fashion” dominated during the reign of Nero (55-68 AD). It was brought by Phoenician merchants along the so-called “amber route”. Luxury items were made from it.
  • The Greeks considered amber to be the “stone of the Sun” and called it “electr”, which translated means “solar” or “shining”. They believed that he was able to give victory in battle, and took amber amulets on military campaigns.
  • The healing properties of amber were described in his writings by the ancient Greek healer Hippocrates (460-377 BC).
  • The ancient Roman encyclopedist Pliny the Elder (22-79 AD) recommended amber products as a healing remedy for mental illness, as well as amulets for children. The Central Asian encyclopedist Al Biruni (973-1048 AD) also held a similar point of view regarding the unique properties of amber and its beneficial effect on children.
  • The famous Persian scientist, philosopher and healer Avicenna also wrote about the unique healing properties of amber in the Middle Ages, considering amber to be a cure for various diseases.
  • In 1551, a monograph about amber by the German researcher A. Aurifaber appeared, which presented more than 40 recipes for healing various diseases with the help of amber. It is not surprising that amber was used as a healing agent by healers in many countries, and magicians made “elixirs of youth” based on it.
  • In the Middle Ages, amber was considered the best remedy for jaundice, as well as throat diseases and damage to internal organs. During this period, amber religious objects were in great demand in Europe.
  • The Slavic peoples also believed in the healing power of amber. They used amber necklaces as a talisman against the “evil eye”, and amber chips as incense in churches.
  • Amber was also used as incense in the East, where they believed that it could strengthen a person’s spirit and heal his body.
  • Amber was in greatest demand in Europe at the beginning of the 17th – mid-18th centuries. At that time, amber products were favorite gifts for the nobility.
  • In Italy, amber products were used as talismans for successful hunting and ensuring the fertility of the land.
  • In Germany, amber beads were tied around the necks of small children to help them cut teeth painlessly.
  • In China, a mixture based on succinic acid was used as a sedative and antispasmodic.

Description of the mineral

Amber is a valuable jewelry and ornamental stone, which is a fossilized resin of coniferous trees between 35 and 140 million years old.

Externally, it is a transparent or translucent stone of brown color. Its color can be soft honey, golden, ivory and even brown-black. Transparent specimens in golden shades are considered the best.

Often in amber you can see inclusions of ancient plants and insects, which makes the stone unique and raises its price.

The best varieties of amber are formed from the fossil pine “Pinus succinifera”, which grew millions of years ago in the territory of the modern Baltic states. That is why Baltic amber is called “succinite”.

The word “amber” itself, according to some philologists, comes from the Lithuanian word “Gintars”, which translates as “protector from disease”. Other names for the stone and its varieties: “gift of the sun”, “tears of the sea”, aikaite, ambrite, rumenite, valchovit, almashin, ambrozine, etc.

Chemical composition and physical properties

In terms of its chemical composition, amber is a high-molecular compound of organic acids with a predominance of succinic acid.

Its chemical formula is C10H16O.

The composition of amber includes:

  • carbon (C) – 79%;
  • hydrogen (H) – up to 10.5%;
  • oxygen (O) – up to 8.5%.

In addition to the main components, the chemical composition of amber, depending on the deposit, may contain nitrogen, sulfur, aluminum, silicon, and iron in the form of impurities.

For example, Baltic amber contains:

  • copper (Cu) – 0.001%;
  • manganese (Mn) – 0.025%;
  • iron (Fe) – 0.55%;
  • sodium (Na) – 0.16%;
  • calcium (Ca) – 0.1%;
  • magnesium (Mg) – 0.025%;
  • aluminum (Al) – 0.07-0.74%;
  • silicon (Si) – 0.16-0.71%.

Amber has an amorphous (not crystalline) structure and is a soft stone. Its hardness on the Mohs scale is only 2-3 units, and its density ranges from 1.05 to 1.3 g/cm3 and depends on the impurity content of amber. The composition of impurities also affects the color of amber, which can range from almost white to red-brown. In total, there are more than 300 different amber shades, also due to the scattering of white light.

The degree of transparency of the stone also differs - it can be completely transparent, translucent, or cloudy. The luster of amber is glassy, ​​greasy, sometimes matte or resinous. The stone is easily processed and polished, and after processing it darkens.

Many physical properties are unique:

  1. Due to its density, comparable to the density of sea water, amber does not sink in salt water.
  2. In fresh water, amber does not float, does not dissolve, and over time it swells and can increase in volume by up to 8%.
  3. In boiling water (at a temperature of at least 100°C), amber softens.
  4. Amber is completely soluble in hot nitric acid and partially soluble in alcohol, ether, chloroform, benzene, turpentine and linseed oil.
  5. Under the influence of external factors - oxygen, light and heat - the stone gradually darkens and becomes brittle.
  6. The following changes occur under the influence of high temperatures:
    • at temperatures up to +150°C, amber softens;
    • at a temperature of +350°C, amber melts and lights up, releasing ethereal aromatic vapors;
    • at a temperature of +1000°C, amber completely evaporates.
  7. Under the influence of ultraviolet irradiation, amber luminesces. The degree of its luminescence directly depends on the degree of its transparency.
  8. Amber becomes electrified. This can be observed if you rub it with a woolen cloth. Its dielectric constant is 2.863 F/m.

Varieties

There are more than 200 varieties of amber. The most famous of them:

  1. Succinite– the highest quality amber of yellow, orange, reddish, white, ivory color, characterized by the highest content of succinic acid. This is the most famous variety.
  2. Glessite– opaque red-brown, dark brown or black-brown color, containing a minimum amount of impurities.
  3. Gedanite– very fragile amber of yellow, wine-yellow, dirty yellow color, not containing succinic acid. This type of amber contains a minimal amount of oxygen and, due to its fragility, is called “rotten amber.”
  4. Stanthienite– very fragile opaque brown-black color.
  5. Bokkerit– dark dense opaque brown color.
  6. Kiscellite– yellow or olive green.
  7. Shrawfit– yellow-red or blood-red color.

Deposits

The largest and best deposits of amber are located in Russia, in the Kaliningrad region, as well as in the Baltic countries, on the coast of the Baltic Sea. It is here that the best amber, called succinite, is mined; it is not without reason that it is called the “gold of the Baltic”.

Deposits of other varieties of amber are also found in Poland, Romania, Canada, Myanmar, Mexico, Ukraine, Germany, the USA, the Dominican Republic and Sicily.

The healing properties of the mineral

The healing properties of amber have been scientifically proven and are due to the content of succinic acid, which is a powerful biostimulant.

Since ancient times, amber has been used for:

  • thyroid dysfunction;
  • throat diseases;
  • ear diseases;
  • weakened vision;
  • asthma attacks;
  • arthritis.

Modern lithotherapists actively use amber for:

  • relieving headaches;
  • treatment of sore throat;
  • improvement of cardiac activity;
  • treatment of joint diseases;
  • activation of metabolism;
  • treatment of skin diseases;
  • treatment of blood diseases;
  • restoration of the body's defenses;
  • improving intestinal and kidney activity;
  • stimulation of the nervous system;
  • relieving inflammation.

Amber also helps in the complex treatment of tumors, including malignant ones, and in the treatment of goiter.

Both amber products and its crumbs, which are added to mixtures and tinctures, are used for medicinal purposes.

Traditional healers are confident that amber has a generally beneficial effect on the human body and can cure all diseases.

Magic properties

The magical properties of amber are no less diverse than their healing properties. Since ancient times, this stone and products made from it have been used as powerful talismans and amulets, and incense made from it has been used in religious rites. Some magicians claimed that spirits lived in frozen pieces of amber.

It is believed that amber is capable of:

  • protect from damage and the evil eye;
  • strengthen intuition;
  • bring good luck;
  • give its owner good spirits;
  • attract the attention of loved ones and friends;
  • bring good luck in hunting and in battle;
  • protect from fires;
  • bring happiness to the house.

For many peoples, amber was a symbol of happiness and health.

Amber and zodiac signs

But for fiery Leos, sunny amber is simply a godsend. It will become a powerful amulet against the evil eye, increase vitality and strengthen intuition.

Application of the mineral

Different varieties and varieties of amber find a wide variety of uses:

  1. In jewelry and decorative arts. The best specimens of amber are used to make jewelry, art items and various household items. Used for inlaying jewelry and decorative items and amber chips.
  2. In the pharmaceutical and medical industry. Succinic acid is used to make medicines.
  3. In agriculture. Succinic acid is used to accelerate plant growth and increase productivity.
  4. In the chemical industry. Melted amber is used as a raw material for the production of amber enamels, varnishes and rosin. Amber varnish is used to cover furniture, musical instruments, electrical wires and even cans.
  5. In technology. Given the excellent electrical insulating properties of amber, it is widely used as an insulator, including in ionization chambers of X-ray meters.
  • In the 13th century, the personal physician of Pope Boniface VIII prepared an “elixir of immortality”, which included amber.
  • Martin Luther (15th century preacher) always carried a piece of amber with him in order to prevent the formation of kidney stones.
  • At the beginning of our era, amber with insect inclusions was especially valued. Such specimens of amber cost Phoenician merchants 60 daggers and more than a hundred swords.
  • At the end of the 19th century, smoking accessories were made from amber in the belief that they could protect against cancer by neutralizing carcinogenic resins.
  • The triumph of amber was the legendary Amber Room of the Tsarskoye Selo Palace.

How to distinguish natural amber from a fake

Today on the market, in addition to natural amber, you can find pressed amber - a cloudy stone obtained from ground into powder and pressed natural amber with the addition of dyes, and copal - amber formed several tens of thousands (not millions) of years ago, the so-called “young” amber . The only difference between copal and natural amber is that it is less durable, and this may affect its service life.

Found on the market for stones and imitation amber. The cheapest of them are made of plastic and glass. It is quite simple to distinguish them from natural amber, knowing its basic physical properties.

  1. Take a close look at the stone. Natural amber is distinguished by transitions of rich natural shades and a unique pattern with the absence of artificial sparkles and bubbles.
  2. Take the stone in your hands. Natural amber is warm and very pleasant to the touch.
  3. Heat the product without access to oxygen. Natural amber, even with minimal heating, will begin to exude a pleasant pine aroma. It will start to melt when heated more strongly, so don't get carried away with this experiment.
  4. Dip the stone in a salty solution (8 tsp per glass of water). Natural amber will float.
  5. Rub the stone. Possessing high electrostaticity, amber will attract strings or small pieces of paper.
  6. Look at the stone under ultraviolet rays. Natural amber luminesces.

Care

When buying amber, you should remember that this soft stone requires careful handling.

  1. In order to protect it from chips and cracks, it is recommended to store this stone in a separate, necessarily hard case (not in a bag!).
  2. When wearing amber products, you should avoid their constant contact with metal and other hard surfaces.
  3. Amber should not be exposed to sudden changes in temperature, heat, rough mechanical stress or prolonged exposure to sunlight.
  4. Do not clean amber with chemicals or soap solutions.
  5. In case of severe contamination, clouding or deformation of amber, it is better to contact professional jewelers.

There are many legends about the origin of amber. Amber appears in many ways - the tears of the daughters of the Sun God - Helios; sea ​​foam frozen in the sun's rays; oil petrified by the sea; hardened fat of unknown fish! All these legends, despite the fact that they were born in different countries and in different eras, have something in common at their core; they talk about amber as some kind of frozen substance. Science holds the same view. She believes that amber is the frozen resin of coniferous trees that once grew on the site of existing seas. That is why amber deposits are located near the sea coast or where the sea once was.

In some pieces of amber you can see messengers from distant eras - stuck insects, a sprig of pine needles. These silent “witnesses” are of enormous scientific value; they can tell a lot about the flora and fauna of that time.

Amber is mined in different ways: open, underground, using dredgers, and caught with nets.

As a chemical substance, 70% of amber consists of polyesters of succinic acid. Its elemental composition; 79% carbon, 10.5% hydrogen and 10.5% oxygen. Amber dissolves in alcohol, ether, and turpentine. Specific gravity - 1.05 - 1.1. Amber melts at a temperature of about 375°C.

Pure amber is transparent, light yellow, but impurities and mechanical inclusions make its color brownish-yellow and even dark brown.

The ancient Egyptians noticed that if you rub amber, it will begin to attract small pieces of papyrus. We say: amber is electrified. This ability of amber is associated with its excellent dielectric properties. Technology widely uses amber as an insulator in various devices.

Amber, along with ivory, was a favorite material for jewelers in ancient times. Amber was especially fashionable in Rome under Nero; According to the historian Pliny, a small amber figurine was then worth more than a slave.

A real amber masterpiece - the amber room - was created by Russian craftsmen in the former Catherine Palace Museum in the city of Pushkin, near St. Petersburg. All its walls were completely covered with a mosaic of polished pieces of amber. The paintings on the walls were framed in amber. Bas-reliefs, busts, figures - everything was made of amber. Unfortunately, during the Great Patriotic War, the amber room, like the entire palace, was destroyed by the Nazi invaders and taken to Germany.


(ru.wikipedia.org: In 2003, for the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg, the Amber Room was restored in full (from Kaliningrad amber), including with money from the German side. Now it is available for visiting in the Catherine Palace.)

The fascination with amber was explained not only by its beauty, but also by superstitious ideas about its healing properties. It was believed to help with thyroid disease. In Russian noble circles, there was even a prevailing habit of putting amber necklaces on mothers and nannies: this was supposed to bring health and strength to babies.

Amber is valuable not only as decoration: it is widely used in technology. Succinic acid is obtained from amber, which is used in the perfume and chemical industries, photography, and medicine. Waste carvings are processed into amber varnish. They cover the inner surface of tin cans; This varnish is very resistant to corrosion.

E. Weinstein.

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Description of gems


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Artistic materials science

Description of gems

Diamond is the most valuable gemstone available. It consists of carbon crystals and has the highest hardness of all known natural and artificial materials. Diamond got its name from the Greek word “adamas”, which means invincible.

The beauty of a diamond lies in its high optical properties, which are most fully revealed when it is cut into a diamond. The shapes of diamond cuts are not random - they are determined by a number of patterns. The facets of a diamond are located at strictly defined angles, in a certain sequence. This achieves the bright sparkle of the stone - as if a whole bunch of multi-colored rays comes out of the diamond. When the stone is turned, they constantly change and play with all the colors of the rainbow, creating an effect called the “fire” of the stone. In this regard, diamonds are superior to all precious stones, with the exception of zircon.

The most valuable diamonds are considered to be pure, transparent, colorless stones that acquire a bluish tint when cut - the so-called “blue water” diamonds. Diamonds with “overcolor”, i.e. yellowish, greenish, etc., are valued less. Stones with a large number of defects - cracks, dots, random inclusions, etc., as well as cloudy stones of gray, brown and dirty colors (bord) are not cut and used for technical purposes.

Particularly highly prized are completely transparent, brightly colored stones: green, yellow, red and extremely rare blue and black stones. For example, one of the most valuable diamonds in the world is considered to be the deep blue “Goppe” stone made of and weighing 44.5 carats. Paul I paid 100 thousand gold rubles for a red diamond weighing 10 carats.

in most cases full of gloomy and tragic events. For example, one of the largest and oldest diamonds, the famous “Shah” (Fig. 1), was brought to St. Petersburg in 1829 by the Persian prince Khosrev Mirza as a gift to the Russian emperor in order to smooth over the aggravation that arose in relations between states in connection with the murder of a Russian in Tehran ambassador and poet A. S. Griboyedov.

The largest Cullian diamond was found in 1905 in South Africa (Fig. 2). Its weight before cutting was 3106 carats. It was used to make 4 large diamonds and 101 small diamonds weighing a total of 1063.5 carats. The largest of them was given the name “Star of Africa”. It is teardrop-shaped and weighs 530.2 carats. He is currently in England.

Diamond as a precious stone has been known since ancient times. It was used in jewelry, and sometimes to decorate large architectural structures. For example, one of the temples in Rangoon (Burma) - Shwe Dagon Pagoda, shaped like a huge bell, is crowned with a precious shining bud studded with diamonds. It was made using 1250 kg of pure gold and 4350 pieces. diamonds

Rice. 1. Diamond “Shah”

Rice. 2. Cullian diamond (below). Four diamonds made from it (top)

Diamond is distinguished by exceptional chemical stability: it does not dissolve in any of the strong acids, even heated to a boil, as well as in their mixtures; hydrofluoric acid and caustic alkalis do not affect it. The only substance with which diamond reacts is molten saltpeter - it dissolves in it. When heated in air, diamond burns at 850-1000 °C. Some of the diamonds sparkle in the dark due to luminescence phenomena.

Less valuable colorless and transparent minerals are used to imitate diamonds in jewelry: zircon, corundum, spinel (synthetic), topaz and quartz, as well as doubles with a glass bottom. In addition, lead glass rhinestones on foil give a strong iridescent shine.

Ruby is crystalline alumina (aluminum oxide) colored with chromium oxide. This is a very beautiful transparent red stone. The color of a ruby ​​can vary widely - from light pink to bright blood red. There are also stones with a brownish tint. Large and absolutely pure rubies are very rare; small cracks, spots and dots are usually visible in the stone. The largest known ruby ​​is the size of half a chicken egg (and is worth around £10 million).

Sometimes rubies exhibit asterism, that is, a characteristic sheen in the form of six rayed stars, which is caused by a special twin formation of corundum crystals (dichroism). In the old days in Rus', rubies were called yakhonts and were highly valued. This caused the production of fakes from less valuable precious stones (tourmaline, topaz, almandine, etc.) or from red glass.

Sapphire is corundum (aluminum oxide), colored blue with impurities of iron and titanium, from pale blue and cornflower blue to dark and almost black blue. In all its properties it is close to ruby. The phenomenon of asterism is also common in sapphire, and such sapphires are called star sapphires. In addition to blue sapphires, there are also yellow, green, purple and pure white, transparent ones, which are sometimes called oriental diamonds. The largest blue sapphire is in the Paris Museum (estimated at 1.5 million francs).

Counterfeits of sapphire include blue glass or less valuable blue gemstones: tourmaline, cyanite or cordierite (water sapphire). The latter does not differ in color from real sapphire, but due to its trichroism, when viewed in transmitted light (in three different directions), it appears either dark blue, sometimes light blue, sometimes wine-yellow or gray-yellow.

Beryl is aluminosilicate of beryllium oxide. This is a precious stone, a gem, colored in golden-green, green tones, as well as pinkish-red (sparrow) and golden (heliodor).

Emerald is a variety of the mineral beryl and is a beautiful, precious green gem. Its color is due to the admixture of chromium and vanadium compounds. The predominance of chromium gives the stone golden-green shades, the predominance of vanadium gives it bluish-green shades. Clean, large, evenly colored stones are very rare. They usually have cloudiness, stripes, cracks, as well as uneven coloring and other defects. Large stones are valued on par with diamonds. Three emeralds weighing 250 are remarkable in size and purity of tone; 133.7 and 136.25 carats are kept in the USSR Diamond Fund. To imitate emeralds, glass alloys and duplicates of aquamarine or cheap emerald and quartz or glass are used.

Aquamarine is a variety of beryl with a beautiful blue, greenish or seawater color (hence the name - “ak-va>> - water, “marina” - sea). Its color is due to the presence of iron and ranges over a very wide range - from pale, almost colorless transparent crystals to densely intensely colored blue-green; the latter are the most valuable. Topazes of similar color or glass imitations are used as imitation.

Alexandrite is a very beautiful gem. In daylight it is dark green; in artificial light it turns crimson-red or purple. It is a variety of chrysoberyl (a complex oxide of beryllium and aluminum).

Tourmaline is a whole group of minerals with a complex composition. It is an aluminosilicate of alkalis of calcium, iron, magnesium, lithium and boron. The color of tourmaline is very diverse - it has pink, red, yellow, green, blue, as well as brown, black and almost colorless tones. Sometimes the stone consists of completely differently colored layers (pink, green, blue) - these are the so-called polychrome tourmalines. The most valuable are red and crimson stones. Their color is sometimes so attractive that they are comparable to rubies.

Jewelers and lapidaries rarely use the term “tourmaline” and replace it with other names based on the color of the stone, for example, black or crimson tourmaline is called schorl, pink is called rubelite, deep blue is called indigolite, etc.

Spinel is a chemical composition of a complex oxide of aluminum and magnesium; Moreover, part of the magnesium is replaced by iron or zinc, and aluminum by iron or chromium. In this regard, there are many varieties of spinel based on color and other properties.

Ruby spinel - transparent crystals, colored red or cherry. Pink spinel is often called ruby-bale. Rubicelle is a spinel colored orange or yellow. In addition, there is green spinel from grassy to dark green, almost black in color. Blue spinel is very rare.

Garnet is a silicate of iron, aluminum, calcium, magnesium, manganese and chromium.

It has many varieties, differing in color and other properties:
– almandine - dark red, cherry, pink, transparent or translucent;
– pyrope - blood red or hyacinth, more transparent than almandine;
– grossular - yellow-green, transparent or translucent;
– demantoid - emerald green, transparent;
– uvarovite - dark green, translucent;
– melanitis - black, not transparent.

Most garnets are cut either in the form of a hollow cabochon (if the color is too thick) or in the form of a rose (mostly small stones). In addition, sometimes a diamond edge is used for transparent crystals, and a table shape is used for opaque crystals.

Hyacinth is a type of zircon (zirconium silicate). It has a strong diamond luster and excellent orange-red color and transparency. Among the zircons there are stones of yellow, green-yellow, orange and brown colors, transparent or only translucent.

Topaz (heavyweight) - aluminum fluorosilicate. It is a semi-precious stone characterized by strong brilliance and a wide variety of colors. The most common are colorless, wine-yellow and golden-yellow varieties, less common are orange and pink, and even less common are blue, bluish and greenish. Colored stones are more valuable than colorless ones. Some topazes are characterized by fragility of color, which weakens under the influence of sunlight, and the stones gradually become discolored.

Among topaz there are very large crystals. For example, in the Museum of the Mining Institute in Leningrad there is a very transparent wine-yellow crystal (19 cm high and 21 cm wide) weighing about 13 kg.

In the Urals, jewelers and lapidaries call topaz “heavyweight”, and rock crystal (quartz) is called topaz. This name is firmly established and even penetrated the official nomenclature of gems. For example, so-called "golden topaz" and "smoky topaz" are varieties of quartz; they should not be mixed with topaz.

Quartz is one of the most common minerals, which is silicon dioxide. It sometimes forms very large and beautifully colored crystals. This is a chemically resistant stone - alkalis have little effect on quartz, it is completely insoluble in acids, only hydrofluoric acid corrodes quartz very quickly. It has the following varieties.

Rock crystal is completely colorless and transparent; It is used as a gem and goes to the top of the doublets.

Amethyst is one of the most ancient gemstones; was known 3000 BC. e. in Egypt. This is a very beautiful transparent gem, colored in various shades of purple. The most valuable are dark-colored Siberian amethysts, which acquire a blood-red tint when artificially treated. When calcined, violet 86 t changes to yellowish. Such stones serve as an imitation of standing topaz. Synthetic amethyst is corundum, colored in an “amethyst” color by oxides of titanium, chromium and iron.

Amethyst gets its name from the Greek “amethystos”, which means “non-alcoholic”. According to Pliny, the owner of an amethyst is protected from the danger of being drunk.

Smoky quartz (“rauch topaz”) is a transparent gem colored with a pleasant smoky color by organic substances. When heated to 400°C, it acquires, like amethyst, golden tones (burnt citrine). Rauch topaz was known to man already in the Stone Age. Arrowheads were made from it. In the XV and XVI centuries. used for carved seals and gems.

Prazem - green quartz crystals.

Marion is black, almost opaque.

Citrine is golden yellow and transparent.

Rose quartz fades easily in sunlight.

Aventurine is a beautiful crystal of golden, pink or greenish color with a characteristic scaly-shimmering tint.

There are also unique varieties of quartz with a characteristic fibrous-silky sheen. They are called cat's eye (greenish), tiger's eye (yellowish) and hawk's eye (bluish).

Cyanite is an aluminum silicate of a beautiful blue or dark blue color; serves as an imitation of sapphire.

Spodumene is a silicate of lithium and aluminum of various colors - white, yellow, green. The purple and pink variety is especially beautiful - the so-called kunzite.

Euclase is a very rare and beautiful gem of transparent blue and bluish-green tones.

Chrysolite (olivine) - silicate of magnesium and iron; beautiful stone of golden green color. Received its name from gr. "chrysos" - gold. Used back in the Middle Ages. In the East it was especially valued and was used to decorate church utensils.

Colored stones (flower beds)

Opal is a non-crystalline (amorphous) form of silica. This is a translucent mineral with a beautiful rainbow color. The following varieties are distinguished.

Noble opal is white, pinkish, yellowish and black with a beautiful, peculiar play of colors.

Fire opal is bright red or orange (without iridescent tints).

Ordinary opal - various colors - gray, white, green, pink, etc.

Turquoise (kalaite) is an aluminum oxide phosphate. This is a low-resistant mineral, colored sky blue with copper salts. Under the influence of various reagents (moisture, carbon dioxide, etc.), it loses color, turns green and “dies,” becoming dull and dirty green. Due to its low hardness (it can be sawed with a file), it is easy to process and polishes well. When heated, it turns black; dissolves in acids.

Turquoise means “stone of victory” in Persian. Turquoise was known back to 4000 BC. e. and has long been used in jewelry. What should be distinguished from real turquoise is the so-called bone turquoise (odontolite), which is fossilized bones and teeth of ancient animals, colored blue by phosphate salts of iron and copper. “Bone turquoise” differs from real (stone) turquoise by its lower specific gravity, solubility in caustic alkalis, lower hardness and the remains of bone structures.

In addition, there are four types of artificial turquoise (fake): – real turquoise, which has lost its color, tinted with Prussian blue or analine paint; glass blue paste; copper-painted bone; – precipitated and compacted phosphorus-alumina salt containing copper.

Malachite is an aqueous carbonate salt of copper. This is a beautiful decorative amorphous mineral of green color, with a characteristic complex pattern on the cut. There are two varieties: radial-radiant with a silky shine of a dark emerald tone and ribbon-like, flowing, predominantly light in color.

Malachite is easy to cut and polishes well; It is used for the production of jewelry, as well as for lining caskets, caskets, vases and architectural elements. For example, colossal columns in St. Isaac's Cathedral in Leningrad, about 10 m high and almost 0.5 m in diameter, are lined with malachite.

Malachite was known to the ancient Greeks and was already used at that time to decorate architectural elements (columns of the Temple of Diana in Ephesus, later moved to Constantinople). The hardness of malachite is low - when heated it turns black, easily dissolves in acids with the release of carbon dioxide, as well as in ammonia.

Orlets (rhodonite) is a manganese silicate. This is a mineral of a beautiful crimson, pink or cherry color. There are ferruginous varieties of red-brown, gray and even black warm tones.

Sometimes the stone is dotted with brown or black veins and spots of manganese oxides.

Orlets is harder than malachite and has sufficient viscosity, is well polished and retains its characteristic pearlescent luster. It is used for jewelry. In a thin layer, it acquires some transparency (sees through, which gives a special richness to the tone, reminiscent of ruby). Orlets is also used to create large decorative items. For example, for the All-Russian Exhibition in 1870, a large oval vase (185 cm in diameter, 85 cm in height) was made from dark pink eagle. Currently it is in the Hermitage (in Leningrad). One of the modern uses of Orlets can be the lining of the Moscow metro station "Mayakovskaya", where Orlets goes well with stainless steel.

Sometimes minerals of a different composition are classified as jasper, for example, the so-called “ribbon jasper” is feldspar. There are single-color jaspers (red, gray) and variegated (striped, speckled, etc.). Sometimes jaspers are named after the place where they were mined, for example Orsky, which are distinguished by a remarkable variety of patterns and colors (up to 200 varieties). Jasper is used for large decorative items (vases, fireplaces), as well as in jewelry and stone mosaics.

Lapis lazuli is a mineral of complex composition based on aluminosilicate. It has a beautiful varied color of all kinds of blue and blue-violet shades. Sometimes greenish-blue stones are found, as well as stones with golden-colored inclusions (pyrites). It is used as an ornamental and decorative stone, and is also cut for jewelry. Processing waste (fines, dust) is used as raw material for the preparation of high-quality ultramarine (blue paint). As an imitation, the so-called “German lapis” is used, which is some varieties of chalcedony painted with Prussian blue.

Lapis lazuli has been known for a very long time. When heated, the color becomes brighter.

Pyrite - brass-yellow color, metallic luster, easy to process. Polishing does not fade over time. In South America it was used back in the Inca era. Found in the Urals.

Chalcedony is a mineral whose chemical composition is a peculiar fibrous form of quartz. It features a countless variety of interesting striped patterns in varying colors - from bright yellow and orange to milky blue, grey, green and black. The following types of chalcedony are used in jewelry.

Carnelian is bright red-orange. It was known in India from the 4th century. BC e. In Greece and Rome it was used for carved seals and rings.

Carnelian - meat-red.

Onyx is sharply striped in various colors (white, red, black).

Agate is a hairy stone, but the layers shimmer with gradual or clear transitions of different, often gray, brown and black colors. White agate, or cacholong, from the Mongolian "kashilon" which means "beautiful stone", uniform, snow-white, opaque, porcelain-like, clean, smooth, shiny. Blends well with blackened silver.

Ordinary chalcedony is more or less uniform in color (gray, whitish, yellowish and other shades).

Sapphire: - dull gray-blue or pale blue.

Chrysoprase - emerald green, dull.

Heliotrope is green, with red dots and specks.

Moonstone is a type of feldspar (sodium and potassium aluminosilicate) with a characteristic bluish-silver tint. The Russian name for moonstone is belomorite. It should be borne in mind that when cutting and polishing it is afraid of oils and kerosene.

Jadeite is a bright green or white mineral. It is very viscous, dense, and is used as an ornamental stone.

Hematite (bloodstone) is a black mineral with a steely sheen, red when broken and in powder (hence the name). It is an iron oxide. In addition to jewelry, for which it is cut into cabochon shapes, it is used to make polishers for gold and silver.

Organic gemstones

Amber is the fossilized resin of ancient coniferous trees of the Tertiary period, which lived about 40-50 million years ago. In amber, in the form of inclusions, there are remains of flowers, leaves, as well as insects (beetles, flies, spiders), etc. The color of amber is very diverse - from light yellow, yellow, orange, orange to reddish tones. Absolutely red amber is found in Burma (burmite), and in Romania - brown and black (rumenite). Amber melts at 350-375°C. When burned, it emits a pleasant smell.

Amber was known to man and was used for jewelry (beads) back in the Stone Age. Homer mentions amber in the Odyssey. Ancient jewelers made necklaces and other jewelry from amber, and also carved figures, cups, etc. from amber. The “Vlastilinsky” staff of Patriarch Philaret (1632), decorated with amber, is kept in the State Armory. Currently, hundreds of tons of amber are mined in the Baltic States, from which the Kaliningrad Amber Plant produces many different kinds of art products and jewelry.

Pearl is a formation of organic origin, which is solid deposits of calcium carbonate. Pearls are formed in the shells of sea and freshwater mollusks. The cause is small objects (grains of sand, algae, shell fragments, etc.) that fall inside the shells, under the mantle of the mollusk, and irritate the animal’s body. Carrying out a protective reaction, the mollusk envelops the foreign body with its secretions. Gradually, over the course of several years, a dense shell of nacre, which is calcium carbonate impregnated with a horny substance (conchiolin), grows layer by layer around foreign objects.

About 30 species of mollusks are known that are capable of forming pearls (sea and freshwater).

Currently, pearls are grown artificially. This is especially common in Japan. Mother-of-pearl balls are placed into the shells, onto which pearls grow, indistinguishable from natural ones. It takes at least seven years to artificially grow large pearls. The sizes of natural pearls sometimes reach 10-15 mm in diameter. Large pearls are very rare and are highly valued. The largest pearl weighing 85 g (45 mm in circumference) is kept in the London Museum.

In the past, there were larger pearls, but they were not preserved, since pearls dry out over time, lose their iridescent shine and color and, as they say, “die”, and then, gradually deteriorating, crumble into dust.

By color, pearls are divided into white, yellowish, pinkish and bluish - these are the best varieties; as well as gray, reddish, yellow and much less often - black, blue and green. Pearls come in different shapes: round (the most valuable), oval and irregular. The pear-shaped shape of pearls is also valued, suitable for the production of various jewelry pendants (pendants, earrings).

Currently, imitation pearls made of glass are widely used.

Corals are tree-like formations consisting of calcium carbonate salts. This is the so-called polypnyak, i.e. calcareous deposits on which polyps sit. They are used for jewelry and artistic work. Red or noble coral, found in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Tunisia and Algeria, forms red or pink deposits. The six-rayed coral, found in the Indian Ocean, forms black corals. White corals are occasionally found. Corals are easy to process (cut and drill) due to their relatively low hardness.

Jet (jet), or black ambergris, is a hard, black variety of heated coal. It polishes well and has sufficient hardness. Found in small pieces weighing up to 300-400 g. Microscopic analysis of jet reveals a cellular structure characteristic of coniferous trees.


“Sunstone” is what amber has been called since ancient times because of its golden-sunny color.

The Sun is the astrological planet of amber. As a talisman, the “sun stone” is suitable for almost all zodiac signs - it adds activity, vitality and longevity.

Amber is not really a stone. It is fossilized tree sap, a mineral of organic origin. Not only the beauty of amber is fascinating, but also its fantastic age. Amber resin is millions of years old! This is the resin of prehistoric coniferous trees, which for thousands of years was located underground or underwater in places inaccessible to oxygen. The time period for the birth of the “sun stone” goes back to the Mesozoic era - the very Jurassic period when dinosaurs walked the Earth. Amber is a living symbol of geological time. Young amber simply does not exist. Amber takes millions of years to mature! These are truly cosmic quantities, next to which a person is like a speck of dust in the wind.


The incredible age of amber explains the origin of its powerful energy. Even the smallest golden piece of amber is a powerful clot of energy that contains the enormous power of nature. Even in ancient times, people used frozen pieces of resin as a remedy - they took powders from amber, made healing ointments from it and rubbed them into the skin. Ancient Greek women wore amber to make their skin matte, clear and healthy. Ancient books contain hundreds of recipes for medicines made from amber.
Read more about: The healing properties of amber

When amber is first found, it almost always looks inconspicuous. And only after professional polishing and application of a special coating does the “sun stone” acquire that regal appearance that has a magical effect on those around it with its majestic beauty.

The oldest example of amber was recently found in Haiti - a prehistoric spider was perfectly preserved inside the stone. The age of the find is 120 million years! Surprisingly, the exact age of amber was determined from the results of an insect blood test, which survived millions of years without any changes.

One of the most beautiful types of amber is amber with inclusions, when the tree resin contains insects or plants that were frozen in it millions of years ago. Such finds are highly valued by jewelers and collectors.


Amber with insects is used to perform magical rituals - such stones have greater power than ordinary amber. The “strongest” amber is with Scorpio. This is a stone of magical purification that reliably protects against negative magical effects.
Read about: The magical properties of amber

Amber resin has a mummifying effect, so a frozen spider or plant leaf is preserved completely in its original form. Very often fragments of various types of flora and fauna are found. Finds of insects that are completely frozen in amber resin are extremely rare - today about 30 lizards and 50 butterflies have been found all over the world. These are incredibly beautiful examples of amber! With their help, scientists are able to reconstruct a long-vanished world - amber has preserved thousands of species of wildlife from the pre-glacial period. More than 3,000 species of insects alone have been found in Baltic amber! Most often found are ants, ticks, mosquitoes, cicadas, butterflies, spiders, snails, crustaceans, mushrooms, and bird feathers. Drops of dew in amber, as well as moss and cobwebs, look amazingly beautiful.


The cost of a large amber with a whole beetle, ant or dragonfly on the international market is estimated at $10,000-20,000.

Mexico's Hidden Stone Amber Museum houses 10,000 specimens from around the world that contain inclusions of algae, shells and even fish.

Application

Since ancient times, people have highly valued the beauty and healing properties of amber.


In ancient times, rings, earrings, pendants, brooches and other jewelry made from amber sometimes cost more than jewelry made from precious stones. Evidence from the ancient era has been preserved, according to which amber was an excellent remedy for the treatment of mental illness.


The oldest amber find is an amulet, which dates back more than 9,000 years. Place of discovery: hunting camp, Hautes Pyrenees (France).

In the Middle Ages, the production of more refined items from amber began - cigarette cases, ashtrays, caskets, caskets, watches, and so on.


Stone jewelry continues to be made to this day. Moreover, their value only increases over the years, since the amount of amber in the world is limited. In Russia, there are two artistic directions for working with amber, two schools of amber art - St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad, in whose workshops unique masterpieces are created from solar stone.

Nowadays, amber is actively used for scientific purposes. Thanks to the fact that tiny air bubbles are preserved in amber, scientists have obtained reliable data on the state of the atmosphere 80 million years ago. For example, the oxygen content in the atmosphere in antediluvian times was twice the percentage of its content in the modern atmosphere.

Origin of the name

Amber has different names in different languages.
The ancient Greeks called amber “electrum,” which translated means “I protect.” Amber amulets were worn by Greek warriors, who noticed that this stone protected them in battle.

The Germans call amber “Bernstein”, which means “fire stone”, and the British call it amber. In Poland and western Ukraine, amber is called “burshtyn”.

Lithuanians call amber “gintaras”, which means “protecting against diseases”.
According to one version, the Russian word “amber” comes from this name.
The Old Russian “entar” is found in the chronicles of 1562. Moreover, the Old Slavic word gentator is found even earlier than the Lithuanian gintaras.


A beautiful legend tells about the origin of amber. A young Lithuanian fisherman was sailing on the sea, when suddenly a stunningly beautiful girl appeared in front of him, dancing on the waves. The fisherman and the beauty fell in love with each other. It turned out that the girl was the daughter of the sea king. Such an unequal union greatly angered the heavenly gods, and they brought their anger down on her home - a beautiful amber castle. Since then, on the shores of the Baltic Sea, people have been finding pieces of amber - fragments of a destroyed magical castle.

Scientists explain the origin of amber as follows: a million years ago, when the climate on our planet was very hot, tree resin flowed from the bark of coniferous trees due to the scorching heat. Tree resin flowed onto the dead wood and over time hardened to a fossil state.

This version of the origin of amber was expressed by the ancient Roman philosopher and polymath writer Pliny the Elder, author of the work “Natural History”.

Another ancient Roman thinker, Tacitus, wrote: “... amber is nothing more than the juice of plants, because in it sometimes there are animals and insects enclosed in the once liquid juice... The rays of the sun expelled this juice, and the liquid dripped into sea".


Amazing fact! Despite the fact that amber is recognized by all scientists as the fossilized resin of coniferous trees, not a single pine needle has been found in any amber! Scientists cannot explain this strange fact, which involuntarily casts doubt on the main version of the origin of the “sun stone”.

Amber deposits

The largest amber deposit on our planet is located in Russia - in the village of Yantarny, Kaliningrad region. It is here that the world's only industrial enterprise for open-pit amber mining operates. The “amber” earth is washed away with a powerful water jet, washing away pieces of the “sun stone”. Kaliningrad amber production accounts for about 80% of world production. Moreover, almost half of this deposit is located in Poland, at great depths under water and has not yet been developed.

Other amber deposits are scattered throughout the world: in Japan, Canada, the USA, Burma, France, Lebanon, Thailand, Mexico, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Amber is found in Ukraine, Romania, and Italy.


It is noteworthy that Dominican and Baltic amber differ greatly in inclusion composition. Baltic amber often contains an exact cast of an insect or animal, while the inclusion cavity is empty. In Dominican amber, inclusion is 10 times more common. The average size of pieces of Dominican amber is the size of a large chicken egg. Almost every piece of ancient resin from the Dominican Republic contains some kind of prehistoric curiosity.


The largest amber is recognized as “Burma amber”, which was found in Myanmar (Burma). Its weight is 15 kilograms 250 grams! The treasure is kept in a London museum. The second largest amber weighs 12 kilograms - it was found on the shores of the Baltic Sea in the 19th century in Prussia. Amber weighing 9 and 7 kilograms was found in the Baltic.

In terms of quality and properties, Baltic amber is the most valuable in the world. It was from this “Baltic Gold” that the famous Amber Room of Peter the Great was created.

Colors and varieties of amber

There are many varieties of amber - more than 250 types!

The classic color of amber is honey-sunny! This is exactly the color of Baltic amber. But there are a great many shades of amber - from colorless to black. Amber comes in all shades of yellow. Red amber is stunningly beautiful. Green and blue ambers look amazing. Sicilian amber has a sultry, brightly fiery color. Amber and gray colors are also found in nature. Amber is beautiful in orange and cream colors.


  • Succinite

    • Regular amber, 98% of Baltic amber reserves

  • Gedanite

    • Waxy yellow amber

  • Glessite

    • Opaque brown amber

  • Bokkerit

    • Opaque elastic dark amber

  • Stanthienite

    • Black fragile amber

  • Bastard

    • Translucent, heterogeneous yellow with dark spots

“Dragon's Blood” is a cherry-colored Japanese amber. Only members of the ruling royal dynasty had the right to wear it. In Japan, amber is not just an expensive decoration - it is a sacred stone among the Japanese. Maybe because this country actually doesn’t have its own amber. Finding "dragon's blood" is considered great luck!

Today, the Japanese are actively purchasing our Kaliningrad amber and creating beautiful jewelry from it. The modern Japanese market for jewelry made from Baltic (Kaliningrad) amber is the largest in the world.

The reason for the color diversity of amber is all kinds of inclusions of various origins. Pieces of algae add a greenish tint, air bubbles make the amber lighter, and the presence of certain minerals gives a magical silvery tint. On the Amber Coast of the Baltic, transparent and matte amber, “sea” and “earth” are found.

Blue amber is the hardest of all types of amber. This is a rare and magically beautiful amber that is found in the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Nicaragua. In the light it is soft blue, in the dark it is deep blue.


Formed from the resin of carob trees. It is very difficult to process, so the cost of jewelry with blue amber is often very high. Blue tropical amber is phosphorescent - it looks amazing in jewelry and glows in the dark! The phosphorescent property appeared as a result of impurities of volcanic ash. It is curious that when viewed through light, such stones are yellow. And the light reflected from its surface adds a royal blue glow to it.

The first person in the Old World to see blue amber was the famous Christopher Columbus (and his crew). The navigator was shocked by its magical beauty and mysterious glow in the dark. Blue amber was presented to Columbus as a gift by the natives of Haiti in 1492.

Hundreds of millions of years ago, during a period of sharp climate warming on our planet, conifers and other tree species released a lot of tree resin. Golden clots fell from the trunks, hardened and accumulated first on the ground, and then disappeared under many layers of civilization. Over time, these layers were eroded by flowing waters and transferred amber deposits to water basins and to new areas of soil.

At first, amber deposits came to the surface naturally - the banks of rivers and lakes were washed away, sea waves threw amber onto the shore. Later, amber began to be searched for and mined purposefully, including industrially.


From the moment people found the first pieces of amber, its fame as a healing and magical stone began to spread throughout the world. The first samples of “sunstone” began to be found in Europe. The notes of the Roman historian Tacitus noted that amber was brought from the country of the Germans; some tribes used amber as money. Caravans of merchants - Phoenician, Greek, Roman, etc. - flocked for amber from all over the world.

The ancient Greeks gave each other amber when they wished happiness with all their hearts. It was believed that amber heals the soul, adds optimism and self-confidence, helps choose true friends, improves intuition and attracts the object of adoration.

The semi-precious stone agate has similar properties - it inspires calm and self-confidence, gives strength and sympathy to others. Since ancient times, it was believed that agate protects against evil spirits.
Read more about: The magical properties of agate

Even ancient people noticed that amber burns and emits pleasant smoke. Therefore, the “sun stone” was often used when performing ceremonial rituals and ceremonies.


In ancient times, amber was considered the most valuable gemstone and was revered along with jade. Plato and Aristotle mentioned it in their works. Homer also talked about amber in the Odyssey. Pliny the Elder noted: “...Among luxury items we see amber, products from which, however, are still in demand only among women.”

At one time, a large Baltic amber stone adorned the crown of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun. Amber is considered one of the very first precious stones on Earth.


Tears of the Gods

The Roman poet Ovid in one of his works told a beautiful legend about the origin of amber.

The myth of Phaeton:
Phaeton, the son of the Sun God, once asked his father for permission to ride on his solar chariot. Phaeton failed to cope with this task - he lost his way and got unacceptably close to the Earth. Due to the monstrously scorching sun, some tribes of people on our planet turned black, hundreds of rivers dried up, and fertile lands turned into lifeless deserts.

The Sun God Jupiter was very angry. He struck his unfortunate son with lightning and threw him to Earth as punishment. Phaeton's mother and sisters turned into trees and mourn him to this day. And their beautiful tears fall to the Earth to this day in the form of the “sun stone” of amber.
Read: Other myths and legends about amber

Church reformer Martin Luther always carried pieces of amber in his pocket because they prevented the formation of kidney stones. In the Middle Ages, amber was widely used as an effective remedy for treating kidney disease.


Medical books of the mid-17th century contained the following recommendations: ground amber mixed with honey and rose oil is an excellent remedy for various eye diseases, and rinsing with amber “helps with blockages in the head.”

Howlit directs a person to internal sensitive processes, to beauty. Colored sky blue howlite works well in this regard. The stone is magnificent and reminds of sunny days, high feelings and aspirations...

Preface

This organic mineral is valued for its special warmth and beauty, which harmonizes perfectly with precious metals when creating jewelry.

Amber is not a true gemstone. It is the fossilized resin of ancient trees that existed on our planet more than 90 million years ago. This organic mineral is valued for its special warmth and beauty, which harmonizes perfectly with precious metals when creating jewelry.

Description of the amber stone

Traditional amber is a hard stone with a high degree of transparency. Color shades range from golden yellow to light brown. It is extremely rare to find specimens with a rich light green or light blue color. By its origin, amber is an organic compound. At its core, it is the petrified resin of ancient trees. This determines the mechanical properties of a given stone. It can be easily processed, but the outer surface of the cut must be carefully protected from damage. Amber scratches easily.

The internal structure of the stone is quite interesting. Due to its plant origin, it can include various remains of twigs, leaves, insects, plant seeds, tiny feathers and air bubbles. All this makes amber attractive and fascinating at the same time. After all, he brought a piece of ancient history to our days.

You can determine the authenticity of a stone using woolen fabric. Just rub the stone with it and you will feel the formation of static electricity. A slight smell of camphor will appear, since amber contains a large amount of the resinous substance of coniferous wood. Another reliable way to determine the authenticity of a stone is to lower it into salt water. Fake amber instantly sinks to the bottom of the container, while the real stone remains floating.

The largest amber deposit

Large-scale mining of amber has existed in the Baltic Sea since ancient times. In its surroundings, jewelry and products made from this stone were discovered during excavations of human settlements dating back to the Neolithic period. This suggests that ancient people knew about the many properties of this organic substance and actively used it in their everyday life.

During the Viking Age in 800 AD. amber was the main product that they supplied to various parts of the world. This tradition is actively supported in modern Scandinavia. Northern European countries are still the leading exporters of amber, which is mined in the waters of the Baltic Sea.

In addition to the Baltic, amber can be mined on a non-industrial scale in North and South America, Sicily, Romania, Lebanon, Myanmar (Burma) and New Zealand. However, these deposits do not have large reserves and are not particularly valuable for organizing large supplies. Although in the countries of Africa and South America, exclusive examples of these stones are often found, which cannot be compared with the Baltic minerals in their beauty and originality of internal texture. The largest amber deposit is Baltika.

Healing and magical properties of amber

Since ancient times, people have endowed amber with magical properties. Amulets containing it were worn to protect against evil spirits. Sailors used stones to protect their ships from sea monsters and storms. Expectant mothers wore amber pendants to help their child grow. For newborns, this mineral was placed in the crib for amulets and magical protection against diseases and the effects of the dark forces of nature.

Until the mid-twentieth century, amber beads were used for infants in some areas. It was believed that this would help with teething.

In the Middle Ages, the stone was used to treat various ailments. It was ground into a fine powder and mixed with honey. This mixture was used for all types of diseases, ranging from bronchial asthma to bubonic plague. Modern science has proven that amber does not have any healing properties. You can wear it as amulets only if you believe in their effectiveness. But even in this case, the psychological impact of your own psyche is triggered. Doctors do not recommend using the mineral to treat serious ailments. A sick person can experience only temporary relief through the power of self-hypnosis. However, the time required for surgical and drug treatment may be lost and it will not be possible to save the patient.

How to care for amber?

When used, amber stones must be protected from chips and possible scratches. They are very soft in structure and easily susceptible to mechanical deformation. To store jewelry, you should use canvas and wool bags made of soft textiles. This way the natural beauty of the stone can be preserved for a long time. You can also use various boxes, the inside of which is lined with velvet or other soft material. Proper care of amber will preserve its beauty for many years.

The softness of amber is also taken into account by jewelers. When creating complex products, it is necessary to provide special spacers between the stones. For example, when assembling amber beads, you need to interleave individual elements with soft parts, for example, circles of colored felt. This will prevent the stones from rubbing against each other and resulting in the formation of nicks and chips.

Amber should be protected from exposure to any chemicals. For example, hairspray should be used before you wear amber jewelry. Even the smallest particles of various sprays getting on a stone can ruin its appearance. Only specialized compounds can be used for cleaning. But the best remedy is to immerse the stone in salted water for 20 minutes and then wipe it with a soft woolen cloth. Soap solutions and expanded clay cleaners are not recommended.

The following technique can help restore the lost shine and play of colors. Leave the stone in a salty water solution overnight. In the morning, wipe it with a cloth and leave it in the open air for 20 minutes. Then heat the olive oil at 37 degrees Celsius and lower the amber into it for 5 minutes. Then polish with a wool rag.

The use of amber and the secret of the Amber Room

Amber stone is used not only in the production of jewelry. Numerous works of art were created based on it. The most famous of them is surrounded by an aura of mystery to this day. This is the world famous Amber Room.

The customer of the Amber Room is the Russian Emperor Peter the Great. It was for him that this wonder of the world was created in the Baroque style in 1716. Then the room was transferred into the possession of Catherine the Great. Until 1941, the work of art was located on the territory of the Soviet Union, from where the treasury was taken to an unknown destination by Adolf Hitler during World War II. Presumably, the secret of the Amber Room is hidden in the territory of modern Germany. However, search engines have so far failed to find any traces of her. In the Russian Federation, an exact copy of this masterpiece was recreated based on sketches preserved in the archives. It is on display for public viewing in the Catherine Palace.

In industry, amber, which is not suitable for use for jewelry and artistic purposes, is used for the production of varnishes, paints, and polishes. It is included in many static clothing care products.

Widely known uses of amber include the production of rosin and violin polishes. In the church, this mineral is used in burning incense and lamps. This allows you to get a unique smell.

Amber stone on video: