Wholesale Baltic Amber Silver Jewelry; Handmade Greeting Cards Wholesale, Retail

Amber vs. Copal

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:12:00 -0800

As far as "amber" or "copal" are concerned, the only common link between all of them are these generic names. Each "amber" and each "copal" is a different animal because they originated from unique source of plant resin. And at different times too. I wouldn't say any fossil resin is completely done with polymerizing - there is a reason they are called a "living" stone.

To add to the puzzle there is the slow process of oxidizing the outer layer of each piece. Slow while underground, much accelerated once exposed to air, especially after removing the outer crust ("skin"), i.e. polishing.

It has been proved that for Baltic amber the most medical properties are in unpolished amber, pieces still containing the outer "skin". That layer contains most of the succinit acid credited with the medical properties. Recently published paper by prof. Kosmowska-Ceranowicz included electron microscope photos of the surface of Baltic amber pieces showing beautiful micro crystals of succinite acid on its surface. (Electron microscopes can identify chemical make-up of objects they focus on, generally speaking). Such features might be responsible for all the folk medicine uses of Baltic amber from ages past. I am familiar with textile companies attempting to make fabrics coated with micronized amber for its holistic properties.

It should also be mentioned that free amber dust was proven to cause lung changes similar to "black lung" coal workers develop in a study by a German scientist. I am personally familiar with one person who after wearing amber necklace 24/7 for a long time, became allergic to amber anytime it touched her skin. So it is in my opinion anything but a stable rock, substance that does not have any influence on its host. It is a living stone that science only started to define and explore. It is a continuum from resin exuded today through copal stages to amber. The process of polymerization is still continuing. Where we draw the line from amber to copal? When the piece passes the solvent tests.

John

Amber and Diamonds

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 19:10:00 -0800

By John Fudala

This year at Ambermart three companies offered amber and diamonds jewellery. They were Dejwis- Amber Diamonds Collection ( their most expensive piece sold on first day of show to a Polish customer). S&A Amber Jewellery; the Diamond Collection (10 fully commercial and manufacturable jewellery sets) and New Amber Collection- faceted amber with diamonds (Amber set in gold with diamonds).

"Such combination has already appeared several times in the history of contemporary jewellery. Amber has been coupled with diamonds by such designers as: Michael Zobel, Wilhelm Tasso Mattar, Jaroslaw Westermark and Jacek Baron. The combination intrigues and inspires; it is, as Zobel says, a combination of opposites. Perhaps it even takes our thoughts back into the faraway and misterious depths of history. Arche? this is the title given to his piece by Tasso Mattar. A boat sculpted in amber carrying a cargo of diamonds. It is worth adding that this is one of the only two pieces with amber on permanent exhibition at the Jewellery Museum in Pforzheim (Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim)."

International Amber Association's Bursztynisko #28, September 2007.

Bowls of Amber

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 16:22:00 -0800

By Andrea Paysinger

One of the amateur amber carvers that I used to see many years ago,
at the gem and mineral shows here in So. Calif., made bowls of
amber. They were quite small but very pretty.
He was one of the people who sparked my interest in amber. Up to
then I mostly did carving in quartz, opal, topaz, ruby, beryl, jet,
jasper, etc.

To save as much material as possible, he would cut a chunk of amber
into slabs - as I recall about 1/2 inch thick, possibly less,
then cut the slabs into graduated discs and cut the centers out of
the discs, leaving a flat "ring" about 3/4 inch wide.

He then stacked the resulting "rings" onto the smallest disc (which
remained solid) and glued them together using a melted resin he
ordered from Australia that has similar properties to amber.

He would place this in a press and leave it for an extended period -
I can't recall after all this time - he bought an antique book press
from me, which is how I know about the process. (He wasn't happy
with the results with a woodworking press)

After the resin "glue" had set completely - probably several weeks -
he would sand down and polish the ridges on the inside and outside of
the bowl.
He carved designs on some of the bowls but others, sometimes cut from
different types and colors of amber, he left plain.

He was simply known as "Mac" and if I ever knew his surname, I have
forgotten it. He was in his early '70s back then and that was at
least twenty-five years ago.

Anyway, perhaps this will give someone an idea of how to produce a
bowl without much waste.

We had talked at a few shows, where I was doing demonstrations of
engraving and carving gemstones, and when he learned I also did hobby
bookbinding, he asked me about a book press. I had several (another
of my collections) including one that was a duplicate as I had bought
another in better condition. That is when he explained what he was
doing and why he wanted the press. He lived near San Diego (I think
in Lemon Grove) and we made arrangements to meet near the freeway
when I was on my way to a dog show down that way.

I do wish I could remember the details about the resin he used - I
know it came from a tree native to Australia but other than that my
memory is blank. I know he did not like the results when he tried
Krazy glue because it caused crazing on the surface of the amber and
other glues were not transparent enough.