Amber is a fossilized resin from ancient trees. True gemstone amber ranges in age from one million to three million years old. Younger amber that has not undergone polymerization will decompose in contact with organic solvents. Older amber becomes brittle and unfit for use in jewelry. Amber can range in color from pale yellow to dark orange and often contains inclusions of ancient insects who got stuck when the resin was in liquid form.
Amber can be found in many different colors. More than half of the world’s amber is in the range of yellow to gold. A highly sought after hue of rich golden brown is known as cognac amber and is generally found in the Baltic region. Rare green amber gets its color from mixing with decaying plant matter during its development.
