Baltic amber (succinite) is a fossil resin that formed under natural conditions 45 million years ago. Despite the many processes that the resin underwent to change into amber, it is still in the stage of fossilisation, i.e. oxidation and polymerisation processes. As this process continues, amber is constantly changing, so it can be assumed that it is a “living” stone, and a human-friendly one at that. Our ancestors were interested in it and used it for their needs as early as the 13th millennium BC.
Amber is the only one among the fossil resins to contain 3-8 % of succinic acid, a medicinal substance with multiple effects; it is most abundant in the bark, i.e. in its surface layer.

More on this topic: Properties of Baltic amber

Baltic amber deposits that are or were of industrial importance are only found in Russia, Poland, Ukraine and Germany. Names such as Baltic amber, Ukrainian amber and Saxon amber (or interchangeably Bitterfeld amber) therefore denote the same type of amber, and are, as it were, synonymous with the name succinite. The deposits of this amber belong to secondary deposits of sedimentary origin, meaning that they have undergone more or less distant transport before being finally deposited.
In Poland, amber is found in the vicinity of the Gulf of Gdansk, in Sambia and at the base of the Hel Peninsula (these are the richest amber deposits in the world), as well as in the Lublin region near Lubartow. It is deposited in deposits at depths ranging from a few metres to about 150 metres.

More on this topic: Deposits of amber (succinite)

Amber often contains organic inclusions: insects, arachnids, wrigglers, small amphibians, plant remains, grains of sand and gas bubbles. They are a source of knowledge about the time when amber was formed, animals living in the vicinity of the resinous tree or active during periods of resin seepage. Inclusions make amber even more special!

Today, amber used in jewellery is very often corrected. Correcting is a process carried out in autoclaves filled with inert gas under high pressure: clarification, hardening and colour change. In this process, it is possible to achieve: complete transparency of the nuggets, complete fusing of layered pieces of amber, production of falsified inclusions in amber (insects, feathers, shells and plant fragments are placed between two parts of the nugget; after the process, the nugget has no trace of being fused), surface colouring, unification in terms of colour.

More on this topic: Amber classification of the International Amber Association

Pressing amber involves fusing fine amber or even amber powder into larger pieces under pressure. The result is an amber material with a structure that depends on the technology used. In the 19th century, methods of pressing amber were patented and named after their creators: the Spiller method and the Trebitsch method. Today, technical and technological progress makes it possible to obtain pressed amber products, which are very difficult to distinguish from those made from natural amber nuggets.

Baltic amber imitations are raw material, semi-finished products or articles made from a substitute, cheaper material, similar in appearance to amber, but with different chemical and physical properties. Imitations of amber are now produced almost all over the world. Some are deliberately prepared in such a way with modern materials and near perfection that they can be used as counterfeits of Baltic amber. Identifying such a counterfeit is very difficult. For this, appraisers use their professional knowledge, many years of experience, information about the current amber market and the types of imitations appearing on it.

More on this topic: Baltic amber imitations

In the simplest terms, identification involves comparing the characteristics of the amber and critically evaluating them. The popular smell test (when heated, a characteristic incense smell is emitted), solvent testing (it dissolves partially in some organic compounds), surface crack testing, internal crack testing (the so-called “scales”), hardness testing (its hardness on the Mohs scale is between 2 and 3), surface scratching, and the brine method (artificial resins usually sink in a salt solution) are used. Nuggets of natural amber are warmer than other stones and, when rubbed, attract particles of dry grass and small scraps of paper.

Modern imitations are very difficult to recognise. Therefore, appraisers use more advanced techniques such as IR absorption spectrometry, which allows unerringly pointing to Baltic amber (succinite) due to the presence of the so-called Baltic arm in its spectrum, and gas chromatography and electron microscopy.

One of the properties of Baltic amber is the richness of its varieties, consisting in the great diversity of the degree of transparency of amber and its colour - from light yellow through shades of yellow to white, bluish, greenish, beige and brown. This richness of amber colour makes it a sought-after and valued raw material in folk art and jewellery.
Nowadays, quite often attractive amber colours are obtained by technological processes. In order to emphasise or change the natural colour of amber, it is also permissible to use a colour background of enamels and paints in jewellery decorated with stones from Baltic amber (succinite). In this way, a green colour (extremely rare in nature) and the so-called cognac colour are obtained.

More on this topic: Baltic amber varieties

Jewellery with amber (jewellery in general) is recommended to be purchased only from legitimate retailers. Once you have chosen a particular item, you should check that it is complete and undamaged, has a tag and is marked with test marks or has an assay certificate. It is a good idea to ask the seller if and what treatment the amber has undergone and if the colour is natural. Some establishments have certificates issued by the National Amber Chamber of Commerce and the International Amber Association, which are a guarantee of quality and honesty. The retained proof of sale can be used for possible complaints - any item purchased can be reported to the regional assay office to verify that the inscribed
their characteristics are consistent with the actual precious metal content.

Since August 2009, the „Amber Passport” has been available on the amber market. It is an attractively published consumer guide on amber and jewellery products using it (in Polish and English). The rules and information contained in the publication are designed to protect customers from purchasing counterfeits or imitations of amber and to support the application of good trade practices in shops and galleries in Gdańsk and the entire Tricity.

In Gdańsk there are trade organisations which bring together amber companies and amber enthusiasts, such as the International Amber Association, the National Amber Chamber of Commerce, and the Gdańsk Amber Centre. The organisations mentioned above issue special environmental certificates to the companies they recommend, or recommend experts specialising in the evaluation and valuation of amber and jewellery products
with this stone. For those interested in using appraisers, please contact the industry organisations.

More information: Amber experts

The jewellery on the market is mainly made of silver and gold. The higher the metal sample, the lower the admixture of copper - then the surface of the jewellery will not oxidise and darken so quickly. Nowadays, the 925 silver sample is common, and some amber stone settings can also be found in the 960 and 1000 samples. Increasingly better techniques for coating the outer surfaces of the product only allow oxidation processes occurring there to be minimised, but they cannot be completely eliminated.

Jewellery is most often exposed to factors such as human sweat, detergents, perfumes, air or light - these can lead to chemical reactions occurring on its surface, but also damage the stone. Amber jewellery should be cared for with special care already at the stage of display in the jewellery showroom. In the showcases it is exposed to halogen light, which, after a longer period of time, can lead to the clouding of transparent ambers (up to the complete loss of colour) or to the ageing effect in the case of frosted ambers (deep, dark yellow colour). Jewellery - not only amber - is also not good to touch, because the marks left on it „work”. This is why jewellery should be presented by the seller on a special tray lined with velour and with cotton gloves, and immediately wiped after being tried on by the customer. It is also advisable to wipe each piece of jewellery with special cleaning cloths - it is worth remembering this both in the jewellery showroom and at home.

First of all, it is important to ensure that the jewellery does not get damaged, so store and use it properly. The best way to store jewellery is in special trunks, cases or bags made of delicate materials. It is also worth remembering that the jewellery should not touch each other - this way we avoid scratched surfaces or tangled chains.
You should also limit your household chores to jewellery - chemicals negatively affect its appearance. Perfumes are also an enemy of jewellery: the compounds contained in them can react chemically with both the stones and the materials from which they are made and even lead to permanent damage. So remember to take off your jewellery even before washing your hands and only put it on a moment after you have sprayed yourself with perfume. And to wipe it off with a special cloth after each use.
Remember that improper use of jewellery can even lead to a change in the structure of the product - in which case you cannot count on the seller to make repairs under the guarantee.

Vladimir Luks
Amber Manufactory (Amber Museum)

However, proper care of the jewellery will not save us from having to clean it, although we can certainly postpone this procedure.

Home methods

Some of the old ways of cleaning jewellery - especially the one using toothpaste and other detergents - nowadays cause dismay among professionals. In this way, we certainly won't be able to recover the former shine of our pretzels and can only make them look worse.
The simplest homemade and effective way is to take a bath in warm water with a small addition of washing-up liquid - this way we wash off all kinds of grease and dust from the surface of the product and then dry it with a paper towel. You can also use a soft toothbrush to make cleaning easier.

Professional cleaning

But not all jewellery can be cleaned at home: often certain elements (strings, thongs, felt, etc.) should avoid contact with water, and sometimes the impurities are so strong and hidden in nooks and crannies that professional help is needed. In a professional workshop, the jewellery will be disassembled if necessary, cleaned by hand or machine, polished and, if necessary, its surface will be re-protected.