When the resin from the Pine trees dripped an oozed down into the rocks and was fossilized, amber was formed. Paleolithic man in Austria (45000 - 12000 B.C.) used these gemstones. In the Mesolithic age (12000 - 4000 B.C.) the nomadic hunters used this gem to hunt animals. They also carved the hunting seasons and phases of the moon on the amber stones. It was used by the Neolithic man (4000 to 1900 B.C.) as decorative articles and jewels. In these societies, the rich people usually owned and gifted jewelry made from this gem to their friends.



Later, towards the end of the eighth century B.C. the Greeks started using this gem for inlay work in gold and ivory. Romans found use for this gemstone only in the first century B.C to first century A.D, where they made rings and vessels out of this gem.

'Elektron' - the root word for electricity was the ancient name for amber. Around 600 B.C., it was discovered that by rubbing this gem vigorously it would become electrically charged. Believed to carry a negative electrical energy charge, this gem was used to draw power and energy into its bearer. In addition to its ability to attract energy and power, amber was believed to aid the intellect. Memory loss, anxiety, eccentric behavior and indecisiveness - all were said to be cured with amber.

Amber was believed to carry magical power, since it was warm to touch, light in weight, generated static electricity when rubbed and smelled aromatic when heated. Wearing this gem as an amulet was highly recommended to safeguard the wearer from evil and from negative energy. Therefore, in India children are often made to wear a pendant made from this gem.

Amber is millions of years old and, because of this antiquity, can be quite expensive. It is, after all, an actual piece of history. Gems with insects trapped within is particularly high in demand. This fact became particularly well known because of the movie 'Jurassic Park'.

In Myanmar, the largest piece of transparent amber in the world is found (33.5 pounds and 40-50 million years old), as well as Lebanon, Sicily, Mexico, Romania, Germany, and Canada. The two main sources of this gem in the market today, however, are the Dominican Republic and the Baltic states.

Once highly regulated, Baltic amber has now become more widely available due to more liberal economic policies in Eastern Europe. Today, the whole world enjoys these gems mined from the Baltic region, where the largest mine is in Russia, in the west of Kaliningrad.

Baltic amber is also found in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Russia. This particular gem has even washed up on the shores of the Baltic Sea in Denmark, Norway, and England. It is the oldest geological specimen to be used in jewelry. Archaeologists digging near the Baltic Sea have found evidence of jewelry made from this gem that is approximately 40,000 years old.

A completely natural variation of Baltic amber is green amber. The green color is a result of plant interaction with the resin. While green is a more valuable color of this gem than brown, the best quality of this gem remains clear, transparent, and flawless.