How to treat Amber

Jewelry Discussion
1

DOES ANYONE KNOWNS HOW TO HEAT TREAT AMBAR TO MAKE IT
DARKER

2

If we are speeking about amber (the yellowish stuff that derives
from fur trees living about 50 million years ago) you could try
boiling it in oil. However, why try to change one of Mother
Nature’s masterpieces?

Best regards from Denmark, where amber is picked up on the
beaches (if you are lucky)

Niels

3

I was told that steaming it in an autoclave would darken amber ,
and that that was what thay did in Poland , conversely if you
sand or polish the surface it would get paler since the darkened
amber is only on the surface Tim. In sunny Gloucestershire.

4

Place the light coloured amber in a normal oven at about a 190
degrees centigrade approx. at the same time that the oven is
heating. And the amber will gradually darken to the required
colour that you need. You have to keep checking it. The
majority of amber is lemon in colour and the strong gold colour
is only surface deep.

Regards,
Tony

5

Oh, NO! Do not boil amber in oil - it will melt. It can be
treated by slowly, very slowly, heating in rapeseed or linseed
oil and then allowing it to cool equally slowly. The first piece
I tried to heat (and I was heating very slowly) ended up as a
cloudy hunk of brownish looking plastic - eech. Fortunately it
was not a valuable piece.

Nancy
Nancy Bernardine-Widmer
Bernardine Art Jewelry

6

Rather than a heat-treatment (which could be destructive) try
this: fix yourself a nice cup of tea, take the used leaves and
add just enough warm water to cover the amber, leave out in the
sun a day or two and check it often…if you need a darker color
yet try a darker tea leaf.

Some amber is more porous than others and if it isn’t coated or
too highly polished I think you will be surprised and happy with
the results.

No guarantee, but it does work sometimes…

Greg Fisher
Gemsources
Austin, TX.
www.gemsources.com

7

Dear Tim, You can treat amber by placing in a normal oven and
heating at approx. 190 celcius. And checking the amber every 5
or so minutes. The heating of the amber must be slow and by the
lenght of time you leave it in the oven will determine how dark
it becomes.

Regards,
Tony.

8

I’m no expert, but when we owned a bead shop, we were told they
were smoked. You might try your backyard smoker, just watch to
make sure they don’t melt. God Bless, Tom

Gemoriah
http://members.aol.com/Gemoriah/gemoriah.index.html