In this post, we will explore the history, properties and benefits of the magical organic gem called amber. Let's get started!

Introduction

Amber is one of the oldest and most sought after treasures that humans have been using for trading and fashion purposes for thousands of years. It is sometimes referred to as “gold of the ocean," as this ancient fossil has been washing up on beaches for many years, mainly in the Baltic region. It is an object of beauty, a symbol of protection and carries the power of renewal. Today, it is still just as desired as it was back in the Stone Age. 

• What is Amber
• Amber Stone Meaning
• Amber Spiritual Meaning
• Amber Energy Meaning
• Amber Chakra
• Amber Metaphysical Meaning
• What Does Amber Look Like?
• What is Amber Used for
• What is Amber Good for
• What does Amber Symbolize?
• What is the Rarest Color of Amber?
• Amber Properties
• Amber Healing Properties
• Amber Healing Properties for Adults
• Amber Metaphysical Properties
• Where is Amber Found
• Baltic Amber
• Baltic Amber Properties
• Baltic Amber Healing Properties
• Baltic Amber Metaphysical Properties
• Lithuanian Amber
• Tibetan Amber
• Tibetan Amber Meaning
• Mexican Amber 
• Amber Benefits
• Types of Amber
• Amber Tumbled Stone
• Natural Amber Stone
• Amber Uses
• Amber Beads
• Amber Beads Meaning
• Amber Color
• Green Amber
• Green Amber Meaning
• Green Amber Properties
• Green Amber Metaphysical Properties
• Baltic Green Amber
• Green Amber Jewelry
• Dominican Green Amber
• Black Amber
• Black Amber Properties
• Black Amber Metaphysical Properties
• Black Amber Meaning
• Black Amber Spiritual Meaning
• Black Amber Jewelry
• Yellow Amber
• Yellow Amber Meaning
• Red Amber
• Red Amber Meaning
• Blue Amber
• Blue Amber Meaning
• Blue Amber Properties
• Blue Amber Healing Properties
• Blue Amber Metaphysical Properties
• Dark Amber
• White Amber
• What is White Amber
• Brown Amber
• Amber Jewelry
• Amber Necklace
• Healing Properties of Amber Necklaces
• Amber Bracelet
• Amber Stone Rings
• Green Amber Rings
• Amber Engagement Ring Meaning
• Polished Amber Rings
• How to Cleanse Amber
• Amber for Sale
• Blue Amber for Sale
• Real Amber for Sale
• Polished Amber Stones for Sale
• Baltic Amber Stones for Sale
• Where to Buy Amber
• Amber on Amazon

What is Amber

This magnificent organic gem is a product of fossilized tree resin, and its formation can date back to anywhere between 30 to 90 million years ago. Although often grouped together with gemstones due to its magical healing properties, Amber is not a true gemstone. For the purpose of this article we will sometimes refer to it as a gemstone. We feel that it is powerful enough to be placed in this category and you’ll soon find out why. 

Amber Stone Meaning

The word amber is derived from the Latin word ambar and French ambre. The word was adopted by Middle English around the fourteenth century and was used to refer to a solid, waxy and flammable substance which is produced in the digestive system of the Sperm Whale, which is now known as ambergris. In most of the romance languages the sense of this word (amber) is now likened to fossilized tree resin. According to Greek mythology when Phaēton, son of Helios (the sun), was killed, his sisters mourned his death through turning themselves into poplar trees and weept tears of elektron (amber). This word, elektron, resulted in the formation of words such as electric and electricity due to this organic gem’s ability to hold and carry a charge of static electricity. 

Amber Spiritual Meaning

Amber is believed to play a big role in the spiritual world due to its ability to preserve life and hold messages from the past within it’s golden structure, and has thus been used in many burial ceremonies thousands of years ago, and is still used for these ceremonies in the present day. It is important in the transition between life and death as it harnesses our planet’s ancient wisdom and can help to pass on messages from our ancestors to help us to take into account the lessons which they had to endure, helping us to make calculated decisions moving forward.   

Amber Energy Meaning

This fossilized gem has the ability, unlike most other crystals and gemstones, to harness and retain a charge of static electricity. Ancient Greek cultures discovered that when this stone is rubbed together with wool, feathers and other small objects would stick to it (think of when you rub a balloon against your hair), hence the ancient name elektron which was given to it. They knew then already that this stone had the ability to shift its energies neutral to a positive or negative charge. 

Amber Chakra

The chakra that amber gemstone is most commonly linked to is the sacral chakra, this is due to its gold and orange hues. Sometimes it works in conjunction with the solar plexus chakra if it has more of a yellow tinge to it. The sacral chakra is situated at the base of the body right above the pubic bone and its main purpose is to control the flow of energy and is the gravity centre of the body. All of the messages from the body flow through this chakra to get to our mind and vice versa. Our gut feelings and intuition sit in our solar plexus chakra, so when this chakra is unbalanced it can lead to a feeling of confusion and a dependency on outside sources for guidance. Using this amber color energy stone to unblock your sacral chakra will allow you to take on a more relaxed and easy going approach to life. 

Amber Metaphysical Meaning

This organic gem is highly regarded in the metaphysical world because of its powerful energetic and healing properties. It works on humans, both in the physical and spiritual body, and on the energy in the spaces around us. It can absorb and transform negative energy into positive energy. It also emits light and positivity into the energetic field around it. 

What does Amber Look Like?

Amber usually has a beautiful golden amber color (as the name suggests) and a resinous luster to it. However, it has been found in a variety of other colors such as yellow, brown, black and red. It comes in amorphous shapes and its transparency ranges from completely clear to opaque. When amber appears more opaque it is due to the number of air bubbles which became trapped in the tree resin during the fossilization period. Sometimes these stones come with inclusions, most often ants and flies that became stuck to the resin as it fell from the tree. It is not a very hard stone and can be anywhere between 1 and 3 on the Mohs hardness scale. Younger amber tends to be on the softer side.

What is Amber Used for

Amber is used in jewelry creation, as ornamental pieces, burnt as incense to give off a pleasant pine smell and sometimes ground down and mixed with oils and lotions to use on the skin. It can even be used to remove lint from clothing when rubbed on it, due to its static electric properties!

What is Amber Good for

Amber is great for use with children as it is a protective stone and is believed to ward off any danger and harm. It also reduces teething pain in babies, and there are special necklaces or bracelets that you can get your hands on for your baby to wear. If you are feeling creative you could even make your own or sew these stones into your baby’s garments (but be mindful of chocking hazrds!). The stone is even more powerful if the mother of the child wears it on her person before placing it on the child.

What does Amber Symbolize?

This stone is seen as a symbol of the transition between life and death because of how perfectly it preserves life inside of it. One of the most notable inclusions that has been found inside of an amber was a dinosaur feather. In ancient Greek, Norse and Lithuanian mythologies it was seen as a symbol of tears, due to its droplet shape. It is used by those who are grieving the loss of a loved one, as it harnesses and honors life so perfectly for many thousands of years. 

What is the Rarest Color of Amber?

The rarest color of this magnificent organic gem is blue. Often a blue amber stone will not appear blue to the naked eye, as it needs to be placed under a fluorescent light to illuminate the fluorescents inside of the gem. This type of amber has only been discovered recently and is new to the gemstone industry.

Amber Properties

Amber Healing Properties

As you may have gathered by now, this gemstone has a number of healing properties. Not only does it work on our mind, body and soul, but also on the energies that exist in the spaces around us. Many, many years ago humans started to use this stone in healing practices by grinding it up and mixing it with honey for ingestion. Today however, it is not advised that one should ingest this powder form of amber. If you suffer from indecisiveness or have feelings of depression and anxiety wearing this stone on your person will help to draw out these blockages from your body. Another one of amber’s magical properties is that when it is burnt as incense in your space it will clear out the negative energies. It is great to clear out your workspace or home every now and then, as this prevents you from absorbing this negativity into yourself. 

Amber Healing Properties for Adults

With everything going on in the world that we live in, from wars and pandemics to economic crises, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and unmotivated. When we experience prolonged stress and anxiety it can manifest as physical ailments and diseases in the body without us being aware of this. This stone helps with bringing about peace of mind and promotes self-confidence allowing creativity and expression to flow freely. It also resets the nervous system and draws out negative blockages which occur as a result of stress. 

Amber Metaphysical Properties

The metaphysical attributes of this stone are extensive. Not only does the amber stone draw pain and diseases out of the physical and energetic body through its ability to absorb negative energy into itself, but it also goes a step further to transform this negative energy into positive energy. It is also one of the most powerful stones to use in chakra cleansing practices--specifically for the solar plexus and sacral chakras.It radiates a calming and comforting energy which helps to speed up healing of the mind, specifically when dealing with grief and depressive tendencies.

Where is Amber Found

A question you might be asking yourself is ‘where does amber come from?’

These ancient gems are most commonly found in the Baltic sea, washing up on beaches in the Baltic region, this includes Lithuaniaand Russia. Furthermore, it has been discovered in Madagascar, Alaska, Myanmar and New Zealand. This stone has been used to trade with as far back as the Viking era. Excavations in the Alps are proof of how far this stone travelled to use as a means to trade with.

Baltic Amber

As mentioned just before, the Baltic region is home to the largest deposit of amber. Ancient forests that existed in this region produced what is estimated to be more than 100,000 tons of amber.

Baltic Amber Properties

These pieces of amber come in a variety of colors, with the most common being yellow and light orange, much like the color of honey. Finding baltic amber that is white with orange or brown specks in is quite rare and finding red, green and bluish colored stones is even more rare.

Baltic Amber Healing Properties

Throughout history this specific type of amber has been used to ease feelings of pain in the body, including anything from bones and joint pain to teething or dental pain. It also has anti-inflammatory properties which helps to reduce swelling. 

Baltic Amber Metaphysical Properties

This amber has the highest concentration of succinct acid found in a natural state. Succinct acid is the active component in fossilized plant and animal matter. The reason why Baltic amber has such an impact on our well-being is thanks to this. 

Lithuanian Amber

Lithuanians refer to amber as ‘the gold of Lithuania’. Baltic amber is found in Lithuania, thus these two are the same thing. If you ever visit Lithuania, you might even be lucky enough to pick up a piece of amber washed up on the beaches yourself!

Tibetan Amber

Tibetan amber tends to be more opaque than Baltic amber, and it usually comes in a light orange color. Many ancient Tibetan amber necklaces have been found, showing that humans have regarded this as a beautiful and precious stone for centuries.

Tibetan Amber Meaning

Tibetan amber was also commonly used in the creation of prayer beads. They are great for this due to the warmth that is created from human touch (due to their ability to generate static electricity) and the pleasant smell of pine that is given off when it is rubbed.

Mexican Amber 

Mexican amber is generally younger than Baltic amber, which gives it a darker color. This amber is also known to be slightly stronger than most others. You can find Mexican amber in shades of green, black and yellow.

Types of Amber

Amber comes in two variations on the market—namely polished or ‘tumbled’ and unpolished also known as ‘natural’.

Amber Tumbled Stone

Amber tumbled stone is a polished version of these stones. Each one of these comes in various natural shapes and a range of colors.

Natural Amber Stone

Before this stone is polished, it is found washed up on beaches as what we would refer to as a natural amber stone. These often seem quite opaque due to numerous scratches and can look quite weathered. It is only once it has been polished that the golden glow of this stone is revealed.

Amber Uses

Amber has many uses, but it is particularly good at discharging negative energy from your body and deflecting negativity from those around you, making it a perfect rubbing gemstone. It warms to the touch and generates a positive charge and even releases a pleasant pine smell after a while of rubbing it. You can keep this stone in your pocket, wear it on your person in jewelry form or use a prayer bead string made of amber beads.

Amber Beads

Ror many centuries up until the present day, the amber gem has  been popularized for its ability to soothe teething pains in infants. Some people believe that burning this stone as incense in the presence of babies will help to relieve this pain, however the most common practice is to create a necklace from amber beads and string it around a baby’s neck. 

Amber Beads Meaning

These beads are beautiful and give off a golden light on the skin when viewed under sunlight. They absorb negative charge and turn it into a positive charge, making these beads feel warm to the touch. Wearing these beads helps to calm your soul and bring about a sense of self-surety. 

Amber Color

Despite its name, amber comes in a large variety of luxurious colors. The most common color gave it its name, amber being a brownish honey color, but there are in fact over 250 identified shades of amber. If you come across a blue amber, it is most likely Dominican, but Baltic amber has been treated to have the same deep blue effect. In its natural state, amber is a form of resin, and the colors range from yellow, orange, burnt red/copper, sometimes cream or white. Some amber may be green or even violet, depending on the plant material that was originally preserved in the piece.

Green Amber

Green amber can occur in the variety of olivine, a group of minerals, and has been mined since the fifteenth century. The Romans often referred to it as ‘stone of the evening,' and it is found in Austria, Burma, Canada, China, Germany, the USA, and South Africa. In 2007, it was discovered in the area of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between Tenerife and Barbados.

Green Amber Meaning

Green amber promotes balance between the mind and body, and is therefore often made use of for meditation. Often found in or around the ocean, this hue is coveted in the jewelry market. 

Green Amber Properties

Green amber is a relatively common stone today and is made by artificial enhancements, or from coming into contact with marshy conditions or dolomite-rich limestone during its development. Green amber is said to omit a very pleasant smell when being worked with, so throughout history it has also been made use of as incense rather than a precious stone. This is referred to as ‘bernstein,' which translates directly to burn stone.

Green Amber Metaphysical Properties

Green amber has historically been said to bring about good luck, and has also been believed to ward off death, protecting the wearer’s life. It is healing for negative emotions such as anger, depression, grief and guilt.

Baltic Green Amber

It is common practice for gemstones to go through a series of treatments, accepted by the International Amber Association as enhancements, whereby they are heated, cut, polished to exaggerate their natural features. Baltic green amber is procured similarly, from yellow (natural) Baltic amber through a series of artificial manipulation of light’s effect on the mineral. 

Green Amber Jewelry

Green amber is very popularly worn on jewelry, from pendants to rings to earrings. These captivating pieces are usually handsomely priced, presumably because of either the rarity, or the necessary enhancements of the green. It is also sought after because when worn against the skin, it produces a very gentle pine scent.

Dominican Green Amber

Dominican green amber’s strong green is not a result of enhancements, however. It is said to have come from marshy conditions, completely naturally, without added heat or chemicals. 

Black Amber

Black amber, also known as oltu stone, is a kind of jet (which is a form of lignite coal) found in the region around oltu town within Erzurum Province in eastern Turkey.

Black Amber Properties

Black amber is not fully fossilized resin, and it is composed of remains of the tree or surrounding plant matter. As mentioned before, black amber is a kind of jet, as both specimens are made up of carbonized coal. 

Black Amber Metaphysical Properties

Black amber has been said to promote positivity, healing, and protection over the wearer. It absorbs and counteracts negative energetic frequencies, averting crises and danger. It is said to ward off psychic attacks.

Black Amber Meaning

Ancient Greeks were recorded making use of amber by rubbing it against a soft cloth, which would produce an electric charge. They called it ‘elektron’. 

Black Amber Spiritual Meaning

The chakras known to be linked to this are the root, sacral and solar plexus chakra, with the zodiac Taurus and Leo being particularly affected. The elements are fire and earth. It is commonly used for chakra cleansing and healing, and lessens stress.

Black Amber Jewelry

When worn, black amber is believed to create an energy field around the wearer, minimizing stress by mitigating the wearer’s fear and shame. This allows for emotional balance, and energetic flow. When worn, it is said to help ailments or injuries in the throat, kidney, bladder, liver, gallbladder, spleen, or stomach.

Yellow Amber

Yellow amber is the most common color for amber, as it is its natural state. It is a beautiful, warm, honey-like hue that shimmers in the light. It resembles gemstones and is thus often even referred to as amber colored stone. Sometimes insects and other materials have fossilized inside of amber and in the yellow variety, this is often easiest to see and is desired for jewelry and decorative purposes.

Yellow Amber Meaning

The lovely warmth of yellow amber has been said to bring about healing to those who wore it or kept it as decor.

Red Amber

Red amber’s captivating color is particularly enjoyed by connoisseurs, as it is also slightly less common.

Red Amber Meaning

Red amber is not just a romantic shade, it is also believed to be beneficial for growth in the wearer’s love and relationships. It is said to attract those who are fated to be your life, whether it be a business partner, lover or friend. 

Blue Amber

Blue is most likely the rarest shade of amber, it is highly sought after. It is found most commonly in the Dominican Republic, and most recently, mines in Sumatra. Under UV light, blue amber has a very strong natural fluorescence, and in sunlight, a strong blue reflection. 

Blue Amber Meaning

Blue amber is rare, but was also used to draw dust with the electrostatic charge it produces with friction. It is believed to have health benefits due to the succinct acid it contains, which is said to strengthen the immune system and aide in treatment of rheumatism.

Blue Amber Properties

This shade of amber is also said to have a pleasant odor when worn on the skin, and it is often found with small ‘inclusions’ or little particles frozen in time visible throughout the clear mineral.

Blue Amber Healing Properties

Blue amber promotes change, assists in making sure the wearer is adequately prepared to heal trauma, and manages thoughts and results. It is also believed to bring about a deeper sense of level-headedness so decision-making and calls to action are more likely in the wearer.

Blue Amber Metaphysical Properties

Blue amber promotes joy, transforming negative emotions such as fear into positive, calm energy. Wearer’s have also reported feeling more flexible and easy-going, experiencing a decline in anxiety.

Dark Amber

The darker the amber, no matter the shade, the more likely it is to contain a sizable amount of carbonized coal or some other mineral or material that, over time, allowed for the stone to appear darker. However, when held up to the light, one can usually see the base hue of the mineral. These are often used in jewelry. For example, the deeper purple, red, blue and green tones are mysterious and very sought after.

White Amber

This shade of amber is very rare and extremely hard to come by, as only about 1% of all amber that has been found comes in this shade. Most of these that have been found have slight impurities and it is almost nearly impossible to find one that is wholly white. These stones are never polished or tumbled, as the impurities make them quite beautiful and unique.

What is White Amber

These gems have a white color due to the mixing of resin with chalk at the time that the resin fell from the tree, many millions of years ago. 

Brown Amber

The slightly darker variations of this stone come in a shade of brown. Sometimes it can be difficult to see the brown tinge to it, but when placed in front of a light source or held under direct sunlight this will be apparent. Many unpolished pieces of amber will also appear brown before polished to reveal the honey-like golden luster that is within. 

Amber Jewelry

This stone has been adorned and used by humans for many thousands of years. One of its main uses is and was for the creation of jewelry pieces. There have been discoveries of ancient amber jewelry at ancient Egyptian burial sites, and in Tibet and England.

Amber Necklace

The most popular form of amber jewelry is an amber necklace. These are made for both adults and children and is seen as a gender neutral piece. They come in forms of beaded strings or hanging pendants set in silver or gold.

As mentioned previously, the main purpose of an amber necklace is to soothe dental pain in infants who are going through the teething phase. 

Healing Properties of Amber Necklaces 

As discussed, the main healing purpose of an amber necklace is to soothe dental pain in infants who are going through the teething phase. This stone is also linked to preservation of an eternal life force and is worn to harness your inner child and gives you the ability to tap into this whenever you so wish to.

Amber Bracelet

Similar to teething necklaces, bracelets made from a string of amber beads can be worn by babies to reduce pains that they feel whilst growing through the teething phase. 

Amber Stone Ring

Rings with an amber stone set in metal can range from $50 to $7000, and the most common metal that they are set in is silver. Amber can also be purchased set in gold or white gold if you are wanting to spend a bit more. 

Green Amber Rings

This shade of amber is a bit harder to come by, and therefore is more rare to find in a ring. There are a few on the market, mostly made using green Baltic amber.

Amber Engagement Ring Meaning

Although this stone promotes unity and harmony, it is not always recommended to use in an engagement ring as it is too soft. Sitting anywhere between 1 and 3 of the Mohs scale of hardness (bearing in mind that a diamond ranks at 10 on this scale) it could easily be damaged and won’t last as long, meaning that you will have to replace it relatively often.

Cherry Amber 

As mentioned previously, this reddish amber is rare and is found mainly in the Baltic region. This color is as a result of the mixing of soil or other inclusions at the time that the resin was excreted from the tree.

How to Cleanse Amber

To cleanse your amber stone, rinse it in lukewarm water using a soft cloth to wipe off any residue. Once you have done this, rub it gently with a bit of olive oil using the same cloth. Leave it out in the sun or inside your bra (if there is no sun) to recharge for a few hours. Be sure to keep this stone away from any cleaning detergents, lotions or perfumes. 

Amber for Sale

This organic gem is for sale through many shops and online stores worldwide. Many health shops sell teething necklaces and bracelets for infants. You can do a little Google search to see where you can find amber for sale near you before heading out. 

Blue Amber for Sale

This gem is for sale, often at quite a high price due to its rarity. Most of these blue gems come from the Dominican Republic. Be sure that you are purchasing from a reputable source through looking for a certificate of authenticity when purchasing this gem. 

Real Amber for Sale 

There are a number of people selling fake amber, so be sure to check the gem for all the signs that will tell you whether it is real or not. Real amber will heat up quickly when held in the palm of your hands. Real amber has a powdery consistency to it when ground or chipped, whereas fake amber is usually flakey. Another way to check without damaging or changing the form of the stone is to place it in a bowl of salt water—it should float if it is real.

Polished Amber Stones for Sale

This stone is most commonly sold after it has been polished, whilst retaining its natural and organic shape. There are over 1000 hits on Etsy, most available with worldwide shipping, making it easy to get your hands on. 

Where to Buy Amber

Amber is for sale from a number of sources. First prize would be to find a local crystal or jewelry shop near you, as this allows you to inspect the stone prior to purchasing it and to find one that you feel more connected to. If this is not possible, there are many retailers selling them online through Etsy and other platforms. Amber can be worth anything from $20 to $40,000 or even more. 

Amber on Amazon

There are thousands of results on Amazon for genuine amber. You can purchase anything from amber beads and beautifully handcrafted jewelry pieces to raw and unpolished stones of amber through Amazon. 

Conclusion

This gem is a true act of magic from biology. These stones give us a little snapshot into life on our planet millions of years ago. It is no wonder it is so highly prized in the spiritual world and has such strong powers to heal us humans and the world in which we live. This organic gem is loaded with power and beauty, and we would highly recommend inviting this stone into your life, no matter who you are and what challenges you face.

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