You probably know the fiery side of Amber really well. It’s a popular choice yet Amber has many different identities from yellow to green to brown. It’s all down to ground temperatures, the weather, the sediments and the surroundings. Believe it or not, there are approximately 250 shades in total when you consider all the tones from each of the five shades. That’s a lot and probably far too many for us to document here, so let’s meet the five main hues of Amber instead.
Yellow Amber
First up is one of the favourite choices worldwide. It’s the fiery, warm shade that most people immediately think of when asked about Amber. It looks good for its age being 30-50 million years old, which is to blame for the vivid hue along with the sap colour. This shade contains less air and gasses than its rivals creating a transparent stone that offers a window to insects and plants imprisoned from all those years ago.
We work with this variety a lot creating striking, unique designs that all highlight the bright, vibrant shade. Go see for yourself.
Red Amber
The formation of the red member of the family is very similar to yellow amber. So much so that if a dark piece is exposed to the open air for quite some time, the gem will become even darker. It gets its rich red shade from the warmth of the sediment surroundings and can vary greatly in colour. From wine red to dark brown, the deepness of the red hue is determined by the oxidation process. Unlike yellow amber, the red type is opaque.
Green Amber
The green version is often found on our bench. Distinctive and unique, the leafy hue is due to the marshy environment it's found in. Expect to find a variety of tones from olive shades to deep forest vibes, to name a few. To really bring the green hue to life, a lot of jewellers heat the surface with oxygen. This colour of amber is known to symbolise luck and immorality and therefore, a favourite worldwide.
We’re no stranger to green amber. It’s one of our favourite gems to design and create with.
White Amber
It’s not the first colour that comes to mind when you think of amber but the opaque, milky side is just as striking. Reflections of light are to blame for the unique colour and it has more gasses and oxygen than the rest of the amber colours making tiny bubbles that are trapped inside the resin. After being cut and polished in the workshop the colour has more of a yellow tinge, which with age is more of a light antique colour developing into more of a golden shade.
Blue Amber
Originating from the mountain ranges around Santiago, Dominican Republic, it’s not easy to find. Rare and exclusive, the vibrant blue gem is worth more than gold and even diamonds. The striking blue hue varies depending on the surface and how light is refracted. When natural light hits blue amber on a white surface it passes right through and is refracted by white surface, which gives only a slight blue colour. However, if natural light strikes amber on a black surface it is refracted by the gem rather than the dark surface. The hydrocarbons in the blue amber change the ultraviolet light to a lower frequency creating the dazzling blue hue.
Which is your favourite colour of the ever changing gem?
