Amber and Baltic Amber

Since the ancient times, the word amber meant only one thing - the Baltic Amber! However, the process of how amber is formed traced more amber varieties in different parts of the world. Although more than 125 types of fossil resins are known in the world, these resins are not amber but its relatives. They are mostly found in Europe and America and each of them has its own name. But the Baltic amber is uniquely known for its quality and is most sought after. Baltic amber is fossilized resin produced by pine trees, which grew in Northern Europe - from southern regions of the present-day Scandinavia and nearby regions of the bed of the Baltic Sea. The climate became warmer and conifer trees started to exude big amounts of resin. Scientists say that amber (or succinite) is a fossil pine resin from this region that has achieved a stable state through oxidation.
The largest deposits of amber in the world, and the ones exploited the longest, derive from the shores of Baltic Sea in northern Europe. Amber also washes up on the shores of eastern England and Scotland. Baltic amber has an exceptionally rich history of ancient trade, supported by guilds of amber craftsmen and stunning works of art. It even figures in Greek mythology.
The true Baltic amber is found on or near the shores of the eastern Baltic Sea, particulary on the Samland Peninsula. The peninsula, a mere 400 square miles in size, has produced 90 percent of all the amber in Europe. Both its northern bay and southern bay are nearly nearly entirely closed off to the Baltic Sea. Beaches on the side of the peninsula facing the sea are narrow, with steep, vertical cliffs. Amber washed up on the beaches, especially after storms, has been harvested for at least ten millennia. A few huge pieces have been found; one weighing 21.5 pounds (now in the Humboldt Museum, Berlin), was discovered in 1890.
Signature Gems offers only genuine amber jewelry, handcrafted by talented artisans using highest quality Baltic Amber. The map below shows where our jewelry was made, the north coast of Poland and the coast of Lithuania are places where you can find the finest pieces of Amber in the whole world. Because Baltic Amber is a product of nature, each piece of jewelry has its own unique color and inclusions!

Baltic Amber Deposits

Read about Amber at Wikipedia.