What is amber?

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According to experts of the market of jewelry, amber price per gram in recent years has increased several times.Among the most important reasons is usually called a sharp increase in demand for jewelry made of "sun stone" in China, which is able to "absorb" all the products of this kind is available in Europe and in Russia.At the same time, domestic buyers have become more discerning, and they often prefer necklaces or rings, earrings, pendants, brooches and bracelets made of amber raw medium or high class.

demand and increase in prices of such products has led to the fact that the market began to meet forgery of pressed fossilized resin.To avoid becoming a victim of fraud, please read this article to learn the value of amber in the retail market at the moment.

Types

How much is amber, depending on its type.In particular, at the moment for making souvenirs and jewelry, the following types of fossil resins:

  • batter - transparent amber with color from dark brown to almost colorless.
  • Translucent (smoky) fragment of fossilized resin, which, together with the transparent skylight, there is slight turbidity due to the presence of air bubbles.He usually has a color in different shades of yellow.Sometimes it is red and even blue.
  • Bastard - Amber average transparency, non-homogeneous yellow with dark spots.

Ambroid

In addition to these kinds of natural amber, there is an artificial, obtained by pressing of the smaller fragments.It is also called ambroidom, and very often on the shelves of jewelry stores you can find jewelry made of artificial ornamental material.For small pieces pressed amber fossil resins milled into a powder and heated without access of air.Thereafter, it is moved to a special press and at a high temperature under pressure is converted into a viscous mass.Then it spread in the shape of a desired configuration, and get ambroid that after polishing can be used for the manufacture of jewelry.To distinguish from natural pressed amber is quite simple.You need to put on the surface of a drop of ether, from which natural amber will not be affected and will be covered with extruded adhesive film.In addition, experts can identify fraud even by visual inspection, as artificial patterns look like "a patchwork quilt."Before you ask the seller how much is amber, ask whether it is natural or has been obtained by artificial means.

Kopal

When buying jewelry made of amber is very easy to become the victim of fraud.For example, under the guise of natural you can sell dug.It is a resin which several thousand years whereas the age of this - at least several million.To identify a fake is enough to drip on the surface of the amber drop of alcohol.If it is true, then it does not remain any traces, and Kopal stained, or the surface becomes sticky.

How much is amber

most often used in jewelry pieces processed fossil resin size 11,5-16 mm.If we consider only one of the ornaments of amber, such as smooth or faceted beads or bracelets, the retail price is between 10 and 30 US dollars per gram.

exclusive amber

main forms of fossil resin pieces are drop, stalactites, sinters and different shapes.The greater their size, the higher the value, the greater valued samples that have the correct shape.Most often, this amber become collectors.The upper price limit does not exist, and they are often sold on the famous auctions.

inclusion

The most interesting option is amber inclusion.They are fragments of fossilized resin particles of prehistoric flora and fauna, and their share in the total volume of amber is only 10%.As inclusions can act as fragments of leaves and flowers, and the whole insects or even tiny amphibians and reptiles belonging to the species long extinct on the planet.In this regard, a clear answer to the question of how much is the type of amber inclusions, does not exist.If we consider the cost of the exclusive pieces of resin with a rare insects in, to purchase it is required to pay 350 to 700 dollars per gram.With regard to the inclusion, not of interest to collectors, their price is calculated based on the following principle: the cost of amber with the inclusion of five times more expensive than a conventional piece of this size.That being said, be careful and be wary if you are offered inclusive with a butterfly or beetle in for a penny.Rather, it is a primitive fake, do not related to this amber.

amber jewelery: beads

most often treated fossil resin used to make beads.These products are made of amber woman, and in some countries, and the men were from prehistoric times.More sought after beads, which 50 years and more.The fact that the longer fossil resins is the sun, the brighter it becomes.Moreover, much depends on the type and quality of processing, as well as the size and shape of beads.

products in silver and gold-framed factory, manufactured by casting

very popular jewelry made of amber, when the rim is made of precious metals.The cheapest of them are silver alloy with kabashonami of fossilized resin.They are very fine amber pieces that are cut so that the front surface becomes convex and the back grinds such that a flat preveraschaetsya.In the manufacture of such jewelry uses a minimum of manual labor.They are produced in large quantities at a few hundred pieces, and are among the relatively cheap jewelry.In particular, the retail price of the alloy amber jewelery with silver at the moment is only 4.5-7.5 US dollars per gram.

Handmade Jewelry

For the manufacture of such jewelry uses only the large amber cabochons good quality.At the same time, all operations of the precious metal rolling up his polished manually.The retail price of similar products from amber, if the rims used silver ranges from 7.5-12 dollars per gram.If we are talking about the rings, bracelets, pendants or earrings with inclusions, depending on their rarity value may exceed decoration called 5-10 times.

Now you know which species is amber.Price ornaments from it in recent years is growing, so today they are considered prestigious and desired gift.