Although there are wide variations in styles and amber settings, be they set in gold, silver or even strung together with thin strips of leather, in general amber tends to be used in heavier setting styles. Amber necklaces often utilize large (and abundant quantities) of beads to make one piece, and rings and broaches tend to be larger than other gemstone compositions.

This is partly due to the fact that most amber contains a fossil; be it the skeletal remains of a prehistoric creature, a flower petal s or a leafy fern impression. These “amber gemstone” and their imprisoned fossils are therefore not cut in accord with the size a jeweler may desire for a setting but according to the size of the fossilized remains inside each piece. This often results in a somewhat chunky amber earring setting, or a thick necklace, or a more robust amber ring setting.

Also, another consideration is the geographical region where amber has been found – Northern/Easter Europe and the Dominican Republic. Taking into account that traditional amber jewelry designs, in both Eastern Europe and the Dominica, began as strands and strands of polished beads for necklaces and large amber stud earrings, it is not surprising that these heavier settings have became the most common styles seen around the world.

Although now there are numerous designers who make delicate compositions for drop earrings and tiny amber stud earrings in more subtle broaches and necklaces, the classic elegance of the heavy settings remains a standby.

Here are a few tips to incorporate amber jewellery that will tastefully accent your wardrobe.

1. Remember that the amber itself will be the focal point of your look. Don’t overdo it with high collared, long sleeved blouses or dresses with floral prints or patterned fabrics or heavy suit textures. When choosing to wear amber, keep your blouse, skirt, suit or dress patterns simple, preferable plain and of one color.
2. Since amber reflects light and is filled with texture, the best fabrics will be lightweight silk, natural cotton, linen and fluid crepe. If selecting multiple strands of amber beads for a necklace composition consider an open décolletage, a strappy summer dress or a strapless evening gown.
3. Select only ONE piece of jewelry. Either choose a large amber stud earring or a dangling set of amber earrings as the focal point or choose an oversized broach or a multi-strand amber necklace, but not all three. If you choose a necklace, then pair it with a tiny stud earring and not a chunky or dangling earring. If you choose a prominent set of amber earrings, then forego the necklace.
4. If you have pierced ears and normally wear earrings everyday, and like me feel naked without earrings, then an alternative to a necklace would be a large bracelet or a set of bracelets.
5. You may wear a large amber broach on a winter coat, and still have another piece of amber jewelry such as a necklace or silver amber earrings that remain once you have removed your coat.
6. Should settings be in silver or gold? That depends. For a warmer feeling choose gold amber earrings and for a cool look select the silver ones. Just try to keep gold with gold and silver with silver. Green and blue amber lend themselves well to silver settings, it brings out the coolness, whereas yellow or honey colored amber blends better with gold accents.

Remember, as with all jewels, amber jewellery is meant to accentuate what you wear and not overpower it. The main tips for accenting your wardrobe with amber jewelry are:

• Select one piece of jewelry for one outfit. Keep it simple and elegant.
• Opt for plain raw silk, natural cotton, linen, or fluid crepe fabrics.

Here are some additional tips on what other jewelry to pair with amber:

1. Delicate Silver Amber Earrings – match with a simple silver choker and no other gems (no necklace)
2. Heavy Gold Amber Earrings – pair with a set of thin bangles or one matching bracelet (no necklace)
3. Large Amber Stud Earrings – combine with nothing more than your smile (a bangle if you like)
4. Green Amber Earrings – try to keep your look cool – silk dress in blue, turquoise or soft jade tones
5. Large Amber Rings – if you have expressive hands that gesture, let your rings do the talking

There are very few people, especially amongst the ladies, who are not familiar with some kind of amber. But there are a lot of mistaken notions about where it comes from.

Where Does Amber Come From?

Here’s a brief explanation:

Two of the most important and commercial amber formations are found in northern Europe especially in the region of the Baltic (boasting about 80% of the world’s reserves), the North Sea, parts of Russia, and all the way to the Urals. The next most famous amber comes from the Dominican Republic.

Let´s take a closer look at these two regions and the kinds of amber they offer:

Baltic amber is in the sand, also called blue earth, and many people collect it from the seashore. Dominican amber is in rocks and mountainous sandstone and must be mined through bell pitting, although they also have underwater amber that deep-sea divers must gather. Some Dominican amber is about 15 million years old and therefore rests in sandy clay and beds of gravel. Both Baltic and Dominican amber contain fossils.

There is amber also in Nigeria, Madagascar, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Lebanon, New Zealand, Borneo, Chiapas Mexico, a little in the US, Switzerland, Austria, France, on the east coast of England, the south of Sweden, southern Finland, in Denmark, northern Germany, Latvia, the Ukraine, and Poland has also become quite famous for it.

Many jewelers sell skillfully set silver amber rings and necklaces in the huge market in Cracow. (oooh, I love that market in the middle of the town square. It’s great in summertime.)

But if you’re looking for the most transparent and fluorescent (or glowing) amber you will find it comes from the Dominican, as does the blue type, which is painstakingly retrieved from the mountain mines near Santiago.

*Another little piece of trivia:

Blue and yellow amber emit different aromas when being cut, polished or burned.

Green Amber Jewelry – Are Black and Green Amber the real thing?

Not really. Black amber is in fact oltu stone (mostly from Turkey) formed from lignite and resin that has fossilized (somewhat like amber but not exactly), which remains soft in the ground yet becomes hard when in contact with air. It is dark in color, black mostly, but may appear grayish-green when exposed to any amount of heat. This “amber” is widely used to make famous green earring and necklaces, and in the east, exquisite prayer beads.

Since there are means to create imitation green amber, here are three little tests for you to know if it’s real oltu/jet stone or not:

1. Take a pin, heat it and then press it into the stone. If it goes in it’s not real.
2. Scrape the stone a little with a knife. If there’s a brown residue it’s real.
3. Blow on the stone. If there’s a trace of mist it’s real.
   How to Start Your Collection of Amber Jewellery

If you’re lucky (like I am) and are married to a Polish man (like I am) and have a mother-in-law (like mine) who for years was the director of an exclusive Baltic amber jewelry dealership, and have been showered with exquisite pieces of silver earrings, rings and necklaces, from yellow to red and even a few pieces of the coveted blue amber, then you won’t need my advice.

If you’re starting from zero, I hope this site will offer you some good advice on where to shop for this beautiful product online, how to select the best settings of high quality amber and some simple tips on using either silver or gold amber earrings to accent your existing wardrobe.
Come back often to see what’s new in the jewelry that only took 345 million years to make!

From amber cross necklace designs with large cabochon pendants, and hand strung amber nugget gems on endless strands of hemp, to delicate baby teething necklaces for infant comfort – Amber Earrings & Jewelry has suggestions on where to shop and how much to pay for top Baltic amber creations handmade in Poland, Lithuania and other Baltic regions, and how to get what you want delivered to wherever you are in the world.

Although Poland is a dominant player in the world of amber jewelry, some of the best designs come from another Baltic region – Lithuania. Many online amber shops, which operate from the USA and the UK, are in fact small family run businesses (or dealers for small artists and designers) who work exclusively with Baltic amber, and who began in their home countries and have expanded to offer worldwide delivery through the internet. When you shop with these smaller companies you support modern artists, traditional artisans and talented craftspeople who are amber experts and earn a living through their unique artistic abilities. We often recommend places like Andzia’s Amber Jewelry, Amberizon and a Lithuanian shop called True Baltic Amber for prayer beads and rosaries, however this week we feature Amber Paradise, a family run company that began in Lithuanian many years ago and now retails some of the most gorgeous amber necklaces through their online shop in the UK.

Cognac Amber Bead Necklaces From Paradise

Cognac color beaded necklaces are the most common, yet when we say “common” we must point out that each piece will be unique since the translucence of the gems, the variations of colors – from reddish orange to honey-yellow – and the fossils within each bead, will make every strand a singular item. However, a basic 17 inch string of amber nuggets or round polished beads will cost about £80 to £120 in the UK, and you can order in the US, strands starting at around $90 and multiple strand necklace and bracelet sets for around $300.

Amber Paradise also has some unusual gold amber necklace designs crafted from long amber stones in a Cleopatra-style collar, about 19 inches long, with flat, inch-long chunks at the front tapering to smaller rectangular shapes at the back. This elegant piece is ideal for eveningwear with a low décolleté. We recommend that when you choose a chunky amber necklace as a feature for an ensemble, you don’t pair it will large earrings or chunky bracelets, since it detract from the elegance of a singular piece. We suggest that if you choose a dramatic necklace, you pair it with teardrop earrings and no other jewelry.

Casual Amber Nugget Necklace

For fun casual jewelry, try an amber nugget design, which comes with multiple strands to drape around your neck or waist, and a bracelet that’s delicate, with small charm-like nuggets to jingle as you move. For £30 you can have the two piece set by ordering through Amber Paradise.

Silver and Green Amber

Classic amber strands are usually strung with invisible string or some kind of natural twine or hemp, but the modern creations are most often set in solid sterling silver.

One beautiful example of an amber silver necklace is the teardrop shaped design of a green amber set that features five stones, with one that dangles in the center like a pendant, and a silver chain for a total length of 18 inches. What’s most surprising is how affordable it is: just under £30, making it an ideal gift. Since it’s not too large, it could be lovely on a young lady or teenage girl, and can be paired with a matching set of green amber teardrop earrings, also in silver, for as little as £12.

An amber pendant necklace is usually sold on a silver chain, therefore you select the pendant size and shape you desire. Some of the more artistic styles have sculpted silver wire wrapped around the stone instead of a prong or solid silver backing. A large chunky design retails for just under £40 while others may be £90 or more..

An Amber Teething Necklace For Baby

One of the most unusual amber baby necklace styles is not designed to make your baby look pretty but to help with the discomfort associated with cutting teeth. Although it is okay for them to chew or suck the amber beads without ill effects, those who believe in the curative and soothing properties of the stone say that it’s enough for an infant to wear the amber necklace next to their skin to receive some relief from fussiness that accompanies this particular growing pain. The necklaces that are for sale online are specifically designed for babies and toddlers, and are high quality Baltic amber. They are a perfect size for a small person, and many cost from $10 to $20, making them an ideal baby gift for natural mommies and babies.

How Does Amber Help A Teething Baby?

It is believed that babies should wear amber close to their skin so that their body heat will activate the natural anti-inflammatory, succinic acid (also known as butanedioic acid, and is also a dicarboxylic acid), found in the stone. Some suggest that this soothing substance can be absorbed through the skin, and later into the bloodstream, alleviating the discomfort and pain babies experience, in part because the thyroid gland may be likewise stimulated by this acid. The therapeutic benefits many claim their babies have experienced include: pain relief, less redness in the cheeks and a general soothing of irritability.

Amber Cross Necklace with Sculpted Pendant

Because amber has so long been used as an amulet, valued as a gemstone thought to have curative, even magical powers, by people’s all around the world, it is no wonder that rosaries, prayer beads and even amber cross necklace designs are still some of the most popular creations. The Baltic amber designs from Poland are made in many different styles, such as the pendant necklaces that have small beads or a chain or the large silver embellished cross pendant styles or the silver crosses with inlaid gems and cabochons. Others are chunks of amber sculpted into cross formations. One of the most impressive designs is called “The passion of the Christ”, sold through Amberizon for under $50. You can choose cognac color amber, a green amber stone or a blend of different shades. As with most of these unique pieces, they are individually handmade and therefore may have to order your item custom made, if the original piece shown on these less commercial online shops, has already been sold.

The Search For An Antique Amber Necklace

If you are trying to find an antique piece of amber jewelry, it will be difficult to do so online if you want a genuine item that is more than 100 years old. You can see items in galleries and online museums, lots of Tibetan antique amber necklaces that are relics and a few replicas sold thorough Indian or Nepalese jewelry dealers, but we know how difficult it is to find antique amber for sale….

There is an alternative that may satisfy those who want antique style, and are not serious collectors, but want a piece that looks great and is fashioned after the ancient styles, both Northern European or Asian / Tibetan, and that is by buying the antique-styled amber jewelry that is sold through JeGem. It’s worth looking at because the amber is Baltic gem-quality and the settings are solid sterling silver with antique finishes. There are pieces available for between $70 and $100 that have intricately carved antiqued silver settings that look very authentic.

For more information on amber rings, amber bracelets and pendants, as well as ideas for working with amber beads, please select another related topic in the series of amber jewelry articles.

Loose Baltic amber beads in assorted colors, already drilled and ready to made into necklaces, bracelets and other jewelry, cost about $25 an ounce. Many of the beads will be natural shapes, however there are perfectly round cognac colored balls, long tube-like connectors that are and make great separators, and teardrop shapes and even rectangular or square beads.

There are soft lemon yellow beads that somewhat resemble the teeth of corn in shape, and also come pre-drilled, and cost under $30 an ounce. If you’re wondering how many beads are in an ounce, naturally that depends on the size of each bead, but in the case of the yellow or butterscotch ones, you get a large fistful, or what could be about a 4 inch pile.

Very translucent rich cognac color beads from Baltic grade AAA amber will cost a little more per ounce, just over $60, but since amber is light, you actually get quite a few beads in an ounce.

There are also large cabochons that work well with beads, especially as the pendant or in a chunky bracelet.

Amber Prayer Beads – Christian, Islamic & Buddhist

Many of the artists who design and sell rosaries, amber prayer beads or worry beads sell through small online shops and often the designs are one of a kind and once they are sold you have order a custom design.

For example some of the beautifully strung amber worry beads, Christian rosaries, Islamic Tasbih and Tibetan Buddhist Mala beads at places like True Baltic Amber, are sold out. However it’s no wonder since they are priced very affordably starting at around $20 for simple ones and going up to $80 and $100 for the large green amber beads in Islamic sets that have 99 stones, and the Tibetan Buddhists designs with 108 beads topped off with a silk tassel.

The 33 bead Islamic rosary that has larger round balls, about 11mm each, also in green amber, costs just under $100. The pieces we are recommending in the prayer bead section are Baltic amber creations from Lithuania.

Traditional Polish Amber Bead Necklace

Classic amber beaded necklace designs from Poland are often multiple strands of small beads strung together in a way that the necklaces appear to go on and on forever. With that in mind, Andzia’s Amber Jewelry has a gorgeous creation based on the traditional Polish style, called the Endless Amber Loop. The translucent stones are a variety of shapes, somewhat flat instead of round, tumble polished, strung together to form a dramatic opera length cherry colored masterpiece using over 600 amber beads! The cost? Less than $90.

Amber Bead Working Ideas

If you’re looking for amber bead working ideas, get inspired not just by the Baltic amber gems but also by the Baltic jewelry making techniques. For example you can use silver wire to wrap each bead and create a necklace (or bracelet) that isn’t strung with invisible thread or waxed string or leather, but fastened with twists of silver. You can see a design, which uses that technique, and is ready made through Andzia’s. It costs about $90.

Another fun way to string amber into a necklace design that is natural and tasteful is to use strands of hemp to create a network of knots and odd shaped amber nuggets, stones or beads. In Poland this is an ancient craft that is still very much alive, especially amongst young people who may not normally wear traditional beaded necklaces or large cabochon pendants. Hemp strung designs have become more popular than ever before and are fun to make…and are great as casual or beach jewelry. Try making one yourself by ordering an ounce or two of loose beads, or you can buy a ready to wear creation from Andzia’s. A golden pebble net, as Andzia’s calls it, has roughly 65 beads on 7 strands of hemp and costs about $89.

Amber is a great gemstone to work with even if you’re a novice because the gems are affordable, easy to drill if not purchased pre-drilled (because the stone is soft), versatile due to the many colors that amber beads come in, and elegant when completed.

When I started working with amber, I began by making a keychain and ended up with purple amber earrings for my sister’s birthday, a complete necklace and bracelet set for myself and lots of fun personal gifts for almost everyone on my Christmas list. But even if you don’t have the time or patience to undertake the art of jewelry making, beaded necklace designs with matching amber bracelets and earrings are very affordable and easy to shop for online. Places like Andzia’s have unique, one of a kind, artistic creations for much less than you might imagine.

For example….have a look at their Chelsea Girl amber bead set, that features golden amber beads, Swarovski crystals and…yes…purple feathers! The amber earrings and necklace are sold as a set for just $56.

For more information on fun amber jewelry designs from Poland, and Dominican blue amber earrings and rings, please see related topics that suggest where to buy amber, how much to pay, and tips on how to use amber jewelry to accent your modern wardrobe.

Handmade amber pendant jewelry, carefully crafted by artisans out of the top grade Baltic amber and set in both high polished sleek sterling silver mountings or dark, antique finishes that resemble pewter, are available online through a small company called JeGem, who despite being small have very impressive collections.

They offer unique creations like cabochon amber cross pendant designs that incorporate up to 6 large, oval shaped cabochons, as well as others like the delicate silver filigree crosses with a single accenting amber gemstone. They also have classic amber heart pendant creations and modern geometric designs, some that feature intricately carved silver embellishments and others that gracefully highlight the fossils of the translucent honey-colored resinous gems.

We begin by recommending this company, JeGem, because they are not a manufacturer of mass-produced jewelry, but a distributor of handcrafted pieces that are designed by artists and forged by silversmiths who take pride in presenting some of the rarest gems, in the case of amber, unusual and high quality Baltic specimens.

Since each piece is unique, and the fossil of each gem is a singular formation that is not possible to duplicate, the way in which the individual item can be viewed prior to purchasing is very important. This is another reason we suggest JeGem since they clearly show different angles of their jewelry so it’s very easy to view the amber’s translucence and color as well as the fossil that makes each item unique. While other precious gems like diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds may be valued for their brilliant sparkle, and may therefore require only a small stone to accent a piece of jewelry, amber’s appeal is partly about size, about chunky shapes, large cabochons of transparent yellow-orange, and about the strange formations that are better seen in large gems than smaller ones.

When it comes to earrings or bracelets and even some amber necklaces, the stones may be cut into small shapes or even delicate beads, but rings and amber pendants are usually large…in most cases, the bigger the better. Some pendants can be over 2 inches long (or wide), and some of the designs that have multiple cabochons inlaid in the cross pendants are 2.7 x 1.4 x 0.25, which is quite a necklace embellishment! However since amber is light, even the pendants with huge cabochons may weigh just over 10 or 13 grams, including the silver.

Made In Poland

Another company that offers unique large amber pendant creations from Baltic gems is Andzia’s Amber Jewelry. We are impressed with many f their items, but the Irish Cross they feature is quite a masterpiece, with 5 cognac cabochons in a simplified Gaelic motif, accented with a sterling silver circle. It’s an inch wide and 2 and a quarter inches long and is sold complete with an 18 inch silver snake style chain that fits through the large bale at the top of the pendant. This gorgeous amber cross pendant is made in Poland and retails online for around $77.

Unique Celtic Green Amber Pendant

Andzia’s also has a fabulous 1 inch pendant that has a central green amber cabochon, measuring about 5/8 of an inch, with 8 twisting silver Celtic knots protruding out from the center like rays. The cabochon is a translucent green and the silver is tarnish free. It costs just $43 and comes with a matching silver chain ready to wear. This design also comes in the classic cognac color if you prefer.

Amber Ying and Yang

Since the origins of pendants lies in the realms of talismans, amulets and charms, it’s no wonder that religious symbols and ancient motifs still tend to be the most popular. Amber itself has been used for luck, as a mystic source of health and prosperity, and in Europe, during the rule of the Teutonic Knights, it is said that amber was so sacred it was only allowed in rosaries. It is no surprise that a vast majority of motifs in pendants that have amber are Celtic, crosses, hearts and other symbols of faith, courage and religious devotion. In a bit of a twist on traditional European designs, and in a form that blends East and West, with a theme of Ying and Yang, is the pendant with two opposite shaped stones…..modern yet ancient….set in a sleek polished silver swirl that joins the two halves. It’s actually called Sunset Sunrise and is for sale through Andzia’s for just under $60.

Delicate Amber Mini Pendant Designs

Although the vast majority of pendants are large, there are some delicate amber mini pendants that are suitable for young adults and children or for those who want a more subtle piece of jewelry.

One style that works well both for earrings and pendants is the simple teardrop design or small round beads or balls, in single or double settings. These mini pendants are usually very inexpensive, even when crafted by hand in silver and featuring gorgeous little fossils inside the teardrops or spheres. Between $35 and $45 you can get a lovely piece that will include the chain if you choose to shop at the places we have recommended.

We show you a couple images, however they are large in order to show the translucency of the gem and the delicate fossil within, but in reality the teardrop design is only 1.6 by .5 inch, and the two round balls together, including the silver mounting, only measure 1.35 x .5, and they are both very light.

One last comment regarding the metals used to accent and mount amber in jewelry settings. Please be aware that it is very rare to find this affordable gemstone set in anything other than silver, partly because it is desirable to keep the creations as affordable as possible, and partly because the artisans who create these works of jewelry art are often small designers who cannot afford to work with gold or platinum.

There is very little demand for such a relatively cheap gemstone to be set in expensive metals, and therefore, if you see a shop that advertises that it has a gold amber pendant for sale, this usually will refer to the “gold color” of the amber stone and not to the metal mounting or setting used in crafting the jewelry.

If you would like to know more about this gorgeous Baltic gem, or if you would appreciate ideas on what’s available in Amber Bracelets, Amber Earrings, where to get good Amber Gifts, or Tips To Accent Your Wardrobe, please choose another related topic and discover more about The Phenomenon Behind What You Are About to Buy.

Amber Bracelets with Gems Certified By The International Amber Association

Andzia’s Amber jewelry operates from the US, but is a fully certified amber gem dealer, being official recognized by the Polish International Amber Association for offering high quality amber stones and unique craftsmanship in earrings, pendants, brooches, necklaces and delicate amber silver bracelet designs that are all handmade. We will show you some of classic and simple styles that are affordable and unique, but first we can’t resist recommending one of the newest amber bracelet arrivals that costs almost $600, but is one of those pieces that makes you stop and say, Wow! It’s a leopard skin cameo style amber cuff bracelet. No, it’s not made from leopard skin but from uniquely colored pieces of amber polished and set into the feline motif.

Another outstanding piece that is handcrafted in sterling silver by artisans in Poland is the green amber bracelet, also a cuff, but more affordably priced at just over $200. This extraordinary Baltic amber bracelet, called Minerva, features a green cabochon with gorgeous inclusions, otherwise known as fossils, for which amber is famous, set in a hammered silver cuff that adapts to fit small to average wrists.

Moving away from the large cuff style and onto a more delicate, yet still somewhat chunky, bead design, is the Ivanka. This is a classic amber blend of honey and rich cognac color gems, but cut in an avant-garde, square and geometric fashion, to create a modern cluster bracelet, delicately contrasted with rice-shaped freshwater pearls. This genuine Baltic amber bracelet was crafted by a designer in Warsaw Poland and has matching earrings and a pendant that can be ordered online also through Andzia’s. The bracelet costs about $450.

In some cases, when it comes to gemstone jewelry for the wrist, the difference between a bangle and a cuff is unclear; often the main differentiating factor is the width of the silver band that is adorned with the stones. So, weather you choose to call it a cuff or a bangle, the thin amber bangle, called the Flora, is one beautiful bit of craftsmanship…feminine and delicate, with almost every shade of amber used to create it’s two flowers and leaves on sterling silver stems atop a thin silver bangle or cuff.

This exquisite piece costs just under $170. If you fall in love with this design, you can get the complete matching set and choose between stud earrings or the amber dangle earrings, as well as a one flower pendant and a slightly different, and more elaborate bracelet design, in the same series, that is a link bracelet style with 4 flowers and five leaves on a sterling silver link chain. The earrings costs between $40 and $60, the pendant is just $50 and the second link bracelet is only $95. For silver and genuine gemstone jewelry this is a great price….and don’t forget it’s all handcrafted and comes right from the Baltic source.

We can’t resist showing you a piece of jewelry that’s not silver but all amber, partly because it’s beautiful, but also because the amber bracelets that have no metal elements at all are thought to have strong curative properties.

The piece is called the Zosia, and it’s a cluster style Russian Baltic amber bracelet with accenting Japanese seed bead pearls in coco color and white. This particular piece is handcrafted in Russia and is in fact part of a complete necklace set, which, together with the bracelet, costs just over $370.

Honey colored and green amber bracelet designs by JEGem are also made from the top grades of Polish amber, and one in particular, from different colored cabochons, is worthy of note. With a series of long, rectangular chunks of amber with bright and clear fossils, the price tag of less than $165 seems almost too little. The green is so dark it looks black, yet it has lighter highlights as accents, and the honey orange and lemony colored pieces are translucent and beautifully mounted in sterling silver with small links separate each of the 7 cabochons.

If you’d like to buy amber jewelry direct from Poland, and have it shipped to your region, one place to shop online is Bursztynowe Centrum in Gdańsk, which operates online as ebursztyn.pl and has some unusual items set in silver for very reasonable prices. Aside from the traditional or well-known colors, they also carry a selection of green and even the cognac or red amber that can be crimson colored or a rich purple/burgundy shade. In some cases, the most beautiful contrasts are achieved by mixing the different colors of light lemon yellow amber with rich green, orange, auburn and red amber, such as the design simply sold as number 2077 which has rectangular cut gems in sets of three that alternate colors around the wrist.

Another Polish shop that has genuine artisan products that are not factory made but crafted by artists in fine silver, is Amberland. Some of the designs we are in-love with are the ones that use white amber and hand pounded silver and have an artistic, perhaps slightly tribal, feel.

Others we love are lacey bracelets that have been sculpted by hand into curls and twists and incorporate cabochons or unique shaped gemstones in cognac, green and other amber tones.

If you would like more information on amber jewelry, you will find some useful recommendations in other related topics like: Shopping for the Best Amber Earrings and Jewelry. And, if you’d like to know more about the origins of the gem and how it has formed, as well as how to choose the best pieces, then browse the information in Amber Earrings – The Phenomenon Behind What You Are About to Buy and Amber Rings a Bell – and Only 345 Million Years to Make.

Where To Shop Online

There are also larger shops like Andzia’s Amber Jewelry who have a large selection of beautiful Baltic amber earrings, pendants and other pieces that are very affordable and uniquely crafted into designs that are modern and elegant. The best part is that prices start at around $20 for stud earrings and only the most elaborate multi-stone creations go up to $100 or more. All their pieces are certified Polish amber jewelry crafted from stones found in the Baltic region.

Amber Jewelry Styles

Traditionally, polish amber earrings and necklaces were crafted from beads, and these styles still exist today, but there are also many creations like gorgeous chandelier designs, drop earrings and even the popular Celtic and filigree designs that incorporate knots and intricate lacey sculpted motifs with chunks of amber at the center.

Celtic Jewelry With Amber

Although chunky and large Baltic amber earrings are the best known styles, the newest designs are often smaller, highly polished stones that resemble jade or even garnets and peridots, since their color variations can range from light green-yellow to deep reddish-brown. The polished stones set in hand sculpted earrings and other creations including rings and pendants, often resemble antique or art deco jewelry designs that are very popular with the return to retro styles. With Celtic emblems and motifs and colored stones, the old-world antique feel is easy to achieve. The best part about it is that even very ornate creations are often well within even the most limited jewelry budgets. For example some three piece sets that include a pendant necklace and delicate chandelier or drop earrings may retail for under $100.

Green Polish Amber Earrings and Jewelry

Green polish amber earrings are the most affordable of all. Why? Because they are lesser quality amber stones that have been treated to be richer green in tone. Nevertheless, they are one of the most beautiful choices if you need something genuine that’s really affordable.

Handmade Baltic Amber Earrings

For a wide variety of styles and colors in unusual silver settings that are handmade, Baltic amber earrings are the best choice. Try shopping with small online merchants who earn their living by crafting and retailing unusual Baltic amber jewelry and not only save money but have original pieces that will be unique to you. Try places like My Amber Jewelry, Amber Workshop and Amber Paradise and start enjoying Polish amber jewelry creations that come straight from the Baltic Sea.

Bernardine Amber earrings

The problem with shops is that they carry a selection of amber earrings and rings that will easily appeal to a broad spectrum of tastes and therefore is often more generic in nature. If you want amber jewellery that is unique, one of a kind, not only due to the quality of the amber used but also the way the pieces are set, then I suggest small independent artists and artisans. Many such amber artisans are now online and ship their creations internationally, so you have a much wider choice than just what is available in a shop or amber market in one location.

Here is a list of some artists to help you find the most unique and personal pieces:

1. For colorful and dramatic handcrafted designer amber jewelry try Bernardine Fine Art Jewelry. They have a large selection of very fine silver amber earrings, gold amber earrings, amber pendants and green amber jewelry. They have mixed other stones with amber in some of their settings such as one exquisite pair of sterling silver amber earrings made from Baltic amber and black onyx for $245. Custom orders ship in 2 – 6 weeks.
2. R & L Amber Jewelry from Russia has some heavy, antique styles – amber pendants, amber earrings and large amber bracelets in sterling silver settings under $200.

   Since 1994 they have collected amber jewellery from Kiev, Moscow, and St. Petersburg and brought them to exclusive clients in the United States. They work with seasoned amber collectors as well as beginners offering a connection between the buyer and the artists. Custom order are welcome.

3. Andzia’s Amber Jewelry (Located at 1808 North Main Avenue – Scranton, PA 18508. Tel- 570-346-4568) is a certified member of the International Amber Association in Poland. They offer a broad range of Baltic amber, especially sterling silver amber earrings. They have traditional handcrafted amber bead necklaces, amber bead bracelets as well as more contemporary designs by local artists. They also have some very delicate amber stud and drop earrings like their Classic Amber Rose. Each rose for each earring is handmade and therefore varies slightly, but they are all in honey tones, made from Baltic Sea Amber in Poland
4. For original and remarkable amber designs visit Gregory Pyra, a magnificent amber jewelry artist who has exhibited many of his amber rings and pendants as museum pieces in Malbork Castle Museum and the Amber Museum in Gdansk Poland. He has also been commissioned to craft exclusive pieces for members of Sweden’s royal family. This is amber art jewelry not just amber earrings, pins or rings for a party. This is jewelry that distinguishes you for your excellent taste should you be able to purchase a piece or two.
5. Tel-Aviv designer Leetal Kalma has the most exotic, modern, tribal, classic, whild, modern, antique, eccentric fantastic pieces of green amber earrings, amber rings, silver amber earrings and amber jewellery in general. Silver, gold and every kind of precious stone is used to build masterpieces that often have stunning amber additions. It’s worth taking a look at these unusual creations.

These are but a few of the artists, artisans and amber dealers who you can choose from.

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.

The Origins of Amber – and the Difference between Resin and Sap

Amber, although often thought to be precious “amber gemstones”, is not of the same nature as say rubies, sapphires or diamonds. Long before becoming an amber ring or a pair of silver amber earrings, it was fossilized resin from trees (don´t confuse this with sap which is like plant blood whereas resin is an essence within plant cells).

What makes amber perhaps more unique than gemstones is that while the prehistoric resin was yet fresh –viscous like honey – little insects, spiders, frogs and crustaceans, not to forget hairs, feathers, wood, leaves and flowers, all got stuck in the goo. When these drops of gunk were yet undeveloped chunks, after just a little initial heat and pressure, what they became were Copal, not true amber.

Copal becomes amber only after certain chemicals have evaporated, and that takes a very, very long time. And when I say a LONG TIME I’m not joking. Some pieces date back 345 million years; although the amber that contains insects appears to have formed ONLY about 146 million years ago and the pieces with beautiful bacteria and amoebae are still babies at 100 million years of age!

*Here is a little trivia about the word “amber” and heat. Since amber is relatively soft and can burn, in German it is berstein which means to burn stone and in Dutch barnsteen with the same meaning.

The Color of Amber Earrings – and What is the Best

Most people think of shades of auburn, golden- yellow, ginger- orange, or perhaps even russet or brown tones when they think of amber. Although these may be the most common colors available in amber jewellery shops that carry what is known as “amber gemstones”, in fact amber can be almost white, light yellow, cherry red, green (please read about that in another article) or even blue, which is coveted and rare. I have seen some blue amber that is navy and other pieces that are violet or deep purple.

The best amber, no matter its color, is transparent and does not contain bubbles.

Amber Jewellery – Handle with Care

It’s natural to handle precious gems and jewels with care, even if they are diamonds and can’t be scratched no matter what you do. But handling amber is totally different. Amber should be touched as little as possible because the more it’s handled the darker it becomes. Yes, amber changes color permanently if exposed to the air, or touched by skin, mostly your hands because of the natural oils we all have.

If you want to keep your amber earrings in your jewelry box that is okay. But I recommend the following extra precautions if you want to keep the transparency and original color of your amber gemstones.

1. When not being worn, wrap your amber pieces in cloth and then in cellophane or plastic wrap
2. Grasp amber earrings and bracelets by the silver or gold settings to avoid touching the amber
3. Don’t wear your amber jewelry day and night even if it’s a pair of amber stud earrings you can sleep in
4. Don’t shower, swim do exercise or cook while wearing your amber rings or earrings
5. Don’t leave amber in the sun because heat and light change its color
6. Don’t let the amber get too warm or too cold
7. Don’t allow cologne, perfume, hairspray, or body lotions to come in contact with amber
8. Wipe amber with a soft cloth after wearing and before storing
9. Wash when necessary with mild soap/room temperature water and dry with clean cloth
10. Polish from time to time to bring out the shine some recommend using oil but I don’t

*Remember: exposure to oxygen, temperature changes and the natural oils on your skin will dramatically change the color and transparency of any (high or low quality) amber