Amber pendant: a piece of precious past

Who among us doesn’t know amber and its value over time, since ancient times? Since the origins of man, starting from the times known to us therefore from Prehistory, amber has been the subject of trade and commerce. The properties of amber were such and such a precious value was attributed to it, that real commercial itineraries were created.

Itineraries that joined distant parts of Europe along journeys that lasted for months. An amber pendant in those days had an immeasurable value, prompting men to face dangers of all kinds in order to be able to trade it. Perhaps not everyone knows that amber is a resin of fossil origin, due to the solidification of some types of plants, mostly conifers. The gemological formation process lasts millions of years, so think how precious its nature is.

In ancient times, there were two main sources of supply for amber. The oldest seems to have been linked to Sicily whose trade, however, was interrupted during the Bronze Age. From that moment, until the modern age, the amber route passed through the Baltic countries, creating a network of roads that still exist today. Buying an amber pendant even today is a gesture rich in tradition, history and culture as well as a purchase of a precious good.

The different types of amber, buying guide

History, it has been said, certainly passes through the deposits of the Baltic countries. However, over time other deposits have been discovered. Therefore for the purchase of an amber pendant you need to know that there are:

• Baltic amber, also called succinite. The main deposits are in Russia and generally it can be dated between 35 and 40 million years. It hardly appears without gaseous bubbles, its main colors are yellow, orange-brown, red-brown or, more rarely, yellow-green.
• Amber from Santo Domingo. Of more recent formation than Baltic amber, it dates between 15 and 25 million years. It is on average softer than Baltic amber. Its main colors are yellow, yellow-brown, red, red-brown and in some cases also blue-green.
• Amber from Chiapas. Some deposits have also been found in this region of Mexico and are dated between 23 and 26 million years. Compared to the other two types of amber, its structure is more transparent, with colors including yellow and brownish yellow. The red-brown coloration and also the blue-green caused by the fluorescence are rare.

The charm of the inclusions of an amber pendant

Precisely because of its fossil origin, when purchasing an amber pendant it may happen that you notice some inclusions present inside it. Very often these are organic residues, sometimes even leaves, flowers or animal remains, trapped during the bud formation process. Think that, thanks to amber, sensational scientific discoveries have been made.

For example, the oldest specimen of an extinct bee species dating back to about 80 million years ago has been discovered. Therefore, by purchasing a jewel such as an amber pendant you could get hold of something that populated our Earth millions of years ago. In short, amber jewels are not only important for their beauty or their value. But they are much more so for the story that they literally enclose and of which, by wearing them, we too become part of it.

Amber, therefore, is a jewel whose charm has never stopped since the beginning of human history. Its brilliance continues to enchant us even after thousands of years, making us feel a little more precious just by wearing a piece.