The rapidly increasing prices and decreasing availability of raw amber are seen by many amber craftsmen as a sign of a possible economic downturn and a threat to maintaining production levels. From a designer's perspective, however, the situation of raw material deficit can be interpreted with growing hope – as a herald of better times for the importance of design thinking and the role of the designer, and the impact of their decisions on the image of amber.
The easy times, when the mere magic of the material was enough for the production of the simplest beads, seasonal gadgets, items rather made than designed, have come to an end. Today, there is no longer any justification for mass-produced ready-made goods, and every increasingly expensive piece of amber must be carefully analysed for its optimal possible use.
A key distinguishing feature of today's products is recognisable authorship and the designer's signature, which becomes a guarantee of credibility for the user. Certificates, with which unique amber products are equipped, confirming the origin of the raw material from which they were made, should play a similar role. Only then will it be possible to build a lasting image of amber jewellery as an exclusive product, which does not always have to be synonymous with an overpriced cost, but always refers to a quality criterion, of which original design is also an indispensable element.
Article fragment Project Trendbook published in the Amber News Review 2013 of the World Amber Council