I have been a lurker on this site for some time, always interested
in the strains of info and have never had a question until now.
Recently I was offered a Buddha statuette of a clear red substance
that was referred to as Red Amber. Now I’m familiar with a lot of
material for jewelry and carving, but I’ve never heard of Red Amber.
Can anyone set met straight on this and give me a way to verify what
it truly is?
Ernest White
Yes, there truly is such as thing as red amber, and it is gorgeous.
The primary source is Russia. I don’t know much about it other than
it exists and is pricier than yellow amber.
Betty
Ernest, Indeed, there are many colors of amber. I certainly am NOT
an expert but have been interested in amber for many years. Recently
I was able to collect some beautiful BLUE amber from Dominican
Republic where green and red is also available.
For lots of about amber go to
www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/amber.htm
Besides just being concerned about the reddness of the statue in
question, you also need to be concerned about if it is genuine amber
or a counterfit. You can also find loads of other on the
subject by simply typing ‘amber’ in your search engine.
Cheers from Don at The Charles Belle Studio in SOFL where simple
elegance IS fine jewelry! @coralnut1
I have been a lurker on this site for some time, always interested in the strains of info and have never had a question until now. Recently I was offered a Buddha statuette of a clear red substance that was referred to as Red Amber. Now I'm familiar with a lot of material for jewelry and carving, but I've never heard of Red Amber. Can anyone set met straight on this and give me a way to verify what it truly is?
If it is what I have seen, it is not amber but a hard resin.
Nevertheless the pieces I have seen at estate sales are quite
beautiful. Catherine
Aloha Everyone, Is this red amber called Cherry Red Amber? It is
red? Is it vibrant in color? Was it set in a Sterling Silver
mounting? I ask these questions because we purchase Amber is large
volumes. The only red we have seen, that is natural, is a vibrant
red cab set in a grapevine bezel setting and what is below the amber
is a painted color that is red, or violet, teal, etc. which is made
to look that way but is not naturally red. Cherry Red Amber if cut
into slivers can be beautiful, but like most things in the gemstone
world, it depends on the rough, the cutter, polisher, and the price.
When we come across a piece like this, if it is not mounted, we make
a solution of one part salt to 2 parts water, if the amber floats it
is natural. If it sinks, it is resin with slivers of amber to give
the illusion that a buyer is purchasing a large piece or bracelet at
a pretty price. We have come across many sellers who do not
disclose. We are now buying from sellers we have found to be honest
and represent what they sell honestly. It was just a fluke I
discovered that sellers are selling what the call “Natural Amber” is
actually resin cast only with amber slivers to make it look real.
Would you like to share where you saw this red amber for sale?
For those of you who asked for a photo of acid etched designs, and
the price for a Gem Quality Lab Created Tanzanite (1) 26cts, (1)
26.2cts with all the beauty of a true Gem quality natural Tanzanite,
please e-mail off line. We know have our scanners and digital
cameras working. Much Aloha to All, Waynette Buyer HQCE
There are some easy test you can do on amber.
One of them is to make a solution of 7 grams of kitchen salt with 1
deciliter water someone correct me if I have the quantities wrong).
If it is amber it will float in the solution.
A better one is the “needle test”, but this is a bit destructive. You
insert a hot needle in the amber and it will smell like pine trees if
it is amber.
Alain
Hello everyone, I just happened to read an article in the New Yorker
this week by Elizabeth Kolbert relating to amber. It is the story of
a roomcomposed of carved panels of amber that was made in Germany in
the 1700’s, later went to Russia and then was brought back to Germany
and has been missing since WWII. I am sure that those of you who
carve in any substance would enjoy reading about the original room,
aswell as the replica that is being made right now. Unfortunately,
this particular article isn’t available online. The article asserts
that the red amber is dyed and that the process is a “Russian trade
secret”; a lost art until this replica of the amber room was
undertaken. On the other hand, I worked on an exhibit that involved
mounting amber from the American Museum of Natural History,
including a piece of red amber. So who knows?? Natasha
I have a beautiful WWI era necklace of faceted red amber beads. I
have been told that they are cherry amber. The color is not a
lipstick red, but a dark brownish red that resembles the color shown
at the site you suggest (figure 12 at
http://www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/fig12.htm).
However, that site pictures a necklace of disk-shaped beads, which
appears to consist of dark, shiny beads with little hint of the
color. My faceted beads have a fabulous play of color in most lights,
but especially in natural sunlight. The color is a saturated
golden-brownish-red. (I hope that description of the color makes
sense.)
Dian Deevey
Hi Everyone, We buy amber from Russia and the Baltic regions. There
is a so called “Red Amber” to my understanding it comes from Dark
Cherry Amber. This type of amber normally looks woody, rustic, and
muddy, but when it is shaped into slivers, spheres, paddles, or other
thinner shapes, it allows light to past through it, thus becoming
"Red Amber". Left in its natural state, it would be difficult to
know what the true dark cherry amber color is if it is purchased in
its natural, rustic, semi-polished state. We have discovered this
through hard work. Amber comes in many colors but natural amber is
not come in blue, teal, violet, or similar colors. A high quality
light colored in a cab shape is mounted into a bezel setting. This
setting may have a dark plastic look on the reverse side. What has
been done is the reverse (front side underneath the cab) of the
plasticized backing is painted that color, so when it is looked at,
it looks like the amber is violet. History is a great teacher of the
present. Hind sight is 20/20 will foresight may not be 20/20. I
don’t know about any other person’s research or opinion, but I don’t
think that the prehistoric sap from trees seeped out as violet, teal,
ruby red with gold flecks, or other vivid colors used in jewelry
today. It would be prudent to do some research to see if it is
actually amber and not a resin amber look alike that is not being
disclosed. Our company found this out the hard way when we purchased
an amber bracelet that weighed 70 grams, heavy for a bracelet. We
were going to use it in a highly specialized way and needed to know
how hot, or what would this amber withstand heat wise. Stunningly,
the reply was, it was resin with slivers of amber making appear and
the seller did not know. Now we have our stock filled with natural
amber that we have tested. To test amber, we took 1/3 part salt
(table salt is fine), mixed it into 2 equal parts water. When we
mixed this substance, we took the amber sold as real, natural amber
and dropped it into the bowl. It floated on the surface, relief,
this meant is way real amber and not a resin look alike, mimicking
amber. The bracelet was separated and a piece was placed into the
bowl and it sank like a lead weight. When we went back to the
seller, an excuse was given, we learned a lesson, and have not
purchased from them though they are pursuing us. We will be cutting
and drilling amber pieces soon. When we discover what is proper and
what ruins amber, we will post the results for all. May this
discussion of amber continue so we can all learn. Take care everyone,
and may 2003 bring all of you abundance in your lives.
Barbara
HQCE
@myredcar
My memory may be completely out of whack, but it seems to me like I
once saw a beautifully clear red amber object and it was explained to
me that it was genuine amber, but melted small bits that had been
poured into a mold. Does anyone else remember any such thing?
Rose Alene McArthur
Hi, We agree. There are several colors of amber: White, Yellow -
clear, Butterscotch, Light Honey, Honey, Light Cognac, Cognac,
Cherry, and Dark Cherry, and then their is amber that looks like a
rock, is amber and floats as amber. If you take a multicolored
strand of amber, laid it on a white card, then directed a light at
it, allowing the light to show the amber, what you would see is the
actual color of amber displayed on the card. This is how we have
been training a new person to the company. I placed a round amber
beaded necklace, multicolored, on a white and she was surprised that
amber was RED. From the Baltic region, we have discovered that they
have 2 classifications so far for the Reddish amber - Cherry and Dk.
Cherry. Have a prosperous and great 2003, everyone. HQCE Buyer,
Waynette
Hi All,
I’m looking for some Red Amber Cabochons anyone knows where i can
source them?
Thank You
Orafo Nocenzi
orafonocenzi.com
Red Amber Source
I have a very reliable source of Amber in the state of Chiapas here
in Mexico he is an honest man and has worked with Amber all his life
he actually lives part of the week in Simojovel (where Amber is
extracted in most primitive ways) he works fairly well (Amber is not
really finely cut since it is so soft but it can always be readjusted
if necessary.
He can be trusted in all manners I have many times bought from him
with no complaints whatsoever, Its been a while since Ive bought
Amber but Im sure he will remember me if you mention my name, or my
associate Stefano.
his name is Alfonso Albarran and the last number I have is :
52 (919) 685-0050