Amber Earrings & Jewelry

Gift Ideas – Selecting the Best Amber Earrings and Jewellery

I met my husband’s mother for the first time (a few months after our wedding in Hong Kong) in her home an hour outside of Paris. She could not speak English or Spanish, being Polish, and I could not speak Polish, being Spanish, and so we communicated in French and sign language. After dinner we retired to the living room where she presented me with the first of many gifts that required no language – some exquisite pieces of Baltic amber. This initial set of lemon yellow amber earrings, an amber choker and matching bracelet would begin my collection of amber, something I had previously known little about.

Later, I received many silver amber earrings, amber rings and some amazing designer bracelets in thick sterling silver and amber settings. I also had the opportunity to go to the Baltic Sea, with its endless seaside beaches of pure white sand, and see for myself where Baltic amber comes from.

Over the past 2 years, for birthdays, anniversaries and special events and reunions, my mother-in-law added to my collection with numerous presents – each more unique than the last. I began to investigate how amber was formed and what gave it such a wide variety of colors and hues, and how I could care for my amber and how I too could share these amber gemstones with others. (Some of these topics are presented in other posts)

While I was later in Warsaw at my husband’s family home, I came upon boxes of amber beads and large pieces of both yellow-orange formations as well as some of the rare blue amber and a few bits of green amber. I began making jewelry to give as presents and found it a very rewarding experience because I had fun making it and selecting the amber and invariably the people who received the presents were enchanted.

Giving earrings or rings or general amber jewellery as a gift is quite different than giving a diamond or ruby or amethyst for example because of the uniqueness of each piece of amber – each containing a tiny bit of prehistoric fossil makes for a talking piece.

So how do I select the right piece of amber jewelry as a gift?

I offer a few suggestions:

1. Know the preferred color scheme of who you plan to give it to. This is especially true for giving amber because of the varied colors it comes in
2. Know if the amber earrings you have selected are for pierced ears and if the person receiving the present has pierced ears. Unlike other earrings, amber earring styles are often made with clips, in part because of the weight of the amber itself and also because many antique pieces are traditionally made using screws or clips and not posts.
3. Select the most luminous, translucent pieces you can afford. The best amber is totally transparent.
4. Select gold amber earrings if you know the rest of the jewelry your friend uses is gold or vice versa if it is silver. That is one big mistake is jewelry giving in general. Most women have a dominant metal they like more than another. Very seldom do silver ladies wear gold.
5. When we give gifts, it is human nature to select an item we most would like for ourselves. But, for a change, think about the receiver and forget about your own personal taste. Ask yourself, does my friend usually wear delicate drop earrings or diamond studs or does she wear heavy, chunky, exotic ,even tribal looking, jewelry? Does she wear mostly warm tones and natural fibers or blues, greens, teal or turquoise? All women have a dominant tone they prefer even if they have a little of both warm and cool in their closet. So find out, don’t ask her! Just think back to the last 5 times you’ve been together and what she’s worn and chances are you’ll know immediately if you should select some green/ blue amber jewelry or stick with the honey-orange tones.