Gemstone of the Week – Amber

Amber is a bit different from many other gemstones in that it is an organic gemstone.

Amber is formed from the resin that comes from ancient pine trees, and then it is hardened, a process called polymerization. This process hardens and makes the gemstone durable over the course of many centuries. Because amber comes from resin that is sticky and viscous, it often includes natural inclusions that becomes stuck in the gem in its natural state while it hardens. It is not abnormal to find Insects and parts of plants in pieces of amber. Although, mosquitos are the most well-known amber inclusions.

There have been pieces of Amber that became highly prized due to the type of organizms that were preserved in the gemstone.