Is it possible to keep amber in the sun?

Amber is a very interesting stone. Starting with the fact that it is not a stone, but an amorphous, fossilized tree sap. Relict resin of the Cretaceous-Eocene age is a product of the vital activity of trees of the Pinus succinieferra species. The composition contains up to 8% succinic acid. It has a large number of impurities and an amorphous structure. The name of the stone “amber” (translated from English amber) comes from the Late Latin ambar, and this word in turn comes from the Arabic anbar. The name “fake amber” (bastard amber) was given to the opaque material. Wearing chains with amber is not prohibited for anyone except Taurus, because Taurus is associated with the Lower Gate, burdened with material temptations and almost completely blocked. Amber is most suitable for Leos – it cleanses them and gives them strength. Amber is a stone of creativity. Amber strengthens faith and optimism. It is closely related to sports, physical strength, and health. Amber is never worn in silver, only in copper or, at worst, in copper alloys with a high copper content. Or a stone in its pure form, for example, in the form of a necklace. It is preferable to wear it as close to the neck as possible. Red amber is a special type of amber that is more suitable for magic. Amber becomes magical only when insects are visible in it. The most powerful is the one in which scorpions are found. This is a stone of energy purification, protection from the consequences of magical acts. The powers of the Sun and Venus are hidden in amber. The stone should not be red-hot, otherwise the amber loses all its power. It also has proven medical value. It is a universal cleanser of the human body. If amber is worn on the body for a long time, energy wastes are removed through it, and purification of not only the astral, mental, but also the physical body is achieved. In ancient times, the beautiful yellow resin was used by the Greeks as a varnish; This resin was romantically named by them in honor of the golden-haired Queen Berenice. Amber is usually used to make elegant pipe holders, necklaces, and sometimes umbrella handles and a number of artistic items. Thanks to its amazing properties, such as pliability and viscosity, amber can be easily processed without cracking, is easy to polish and retains it perfectly. Stone production is concentrated mainly in Kaliningrad, Russia. Baltic amber crowned the crown of the famous pharaoh Tutankhamun; it is one of the first precious stones. Mentions of it are already found in Homer in his “Odyssey” (it is curious that there he is the only one of all the gems named by name). The Roman historian Tacitus claims that amber was brought “from the country of the Germans,” and Phoenician merchants traded this stone, calling it sahal (drops of resin). For some tribes, amber served as money. During the reign of Nero, the fashion for amber products already dominated in Ancient Rome. Various luxury items were made from it. The Emperor sent his traders to the North for Baltic amber; which was highly valued not only for its attractiveness, but also because of its healing and protective properties. Nero himself preferred black amber to all its types. According to the historian Pliny, a small amber figurine was worth more than an obedient and healthy slave. Rich Romans always carried amber balls with them, which they rubbed with their hands, believing that amber strengthened strength. In China and Japan, cherry-colored amber, similar to dragon’s blood, was highly revered and was worn by all members of the imperial family. The color and transparency of amber were criteria for its value. In Ancient Rome, white and waxy amber were intended exclusively for smoking incense; only transparent reddish amber was highly valued. At the beginning of the first millennium, as a rule, two varieties of it were treasured: boiled in honey and natural transparent golden. In Eastern countries, transparent yellow with a greenish tint and milky white cloud stones were highly valued. Amber with insects frozen in them was of particular commercial value. At the beginning of our era, for such amber, which contained, for example, a fly, Phoenician merchants paid a fabulous price of 120 swords and 60 daggers. At the beginning of the XNUMXth century, such amber gained popularity in France and Russia. Ovid in his “Metamorphoses” tells a beautiful myth about Phaethon, “explaining” the genealogy of amber. Phaeton, the son of Phoebus, and the nymph Clymene persuaded his father to let him try to drive the sun chariot, but out of habit he lost his way, could not cope with the horses and flew down – a monstrous inferno fell on the Earth, all the rivers from the Don to the Rhine evaporated, great deserts, the inhabitants of Ethiopia turned black, forests caught fire, mountain tops split. An angry Jupiter struck down the unsuccessful rider with lightning, who fell to Earth. The mother and sisters, inconsolably mourning the deceased, turned into trees, and from their branches tears do not stop falling into the Eridanus (Po) River flowing under the trees, immediately solidifying in the sun and turning into amber. Since these are the petrified tears of Heliad, the daughters of the Sun, amber is so transparent, warm and light, and when it burns, it smells exquisitely. Amber is a stone of health, bright feelings and the sun, a love amulet that can attract the object of his love to the owner of the gem. According to the psychological effect of color on a person, orange (amber) is an exciting and exalting color, cheerful and invigorating, ardent and hot, but not intimate. Even in the pre-Christian period, people believed that spirits were hidden in small cavities in pieces of amber, and therefore they were highly valued. In ancient times in Italy, amber items were either pear-shaped, ram-headed or cowrie shell-shaped, as amulets to ensure fertility and successful hunting. The most popular were amber figurines depicting fruits, grains and animals, as New Year’s gifts. Later, in the Middle Ages, amber rosaries and other religious objects that were pleasant to look and touch were in great demand; Patriarch Nikon himself had an amber staff. For the ancient Greeks, giving amber meant wishing good luck. This stone is a symbol of victory: it gives victory over enemies, which is why the bulk of amber items in burials are battle amulets. The stone has been considered a panacea for all diseases since time immemorial; Medicinal white amber was especially valued by experts. It was believed that there were practically no ailments for which this gem would not cure. It heals myopia and cataracts, heart ailments and tonsillitis, stops vomiting and hemoptysis, removes stones from the kidneys and liver and helps urination. Thus, Martin Luther constantly carried a piece of amber with him in order to prevent the formation of kidney stones. The stone strengthened the abdominal organs, and taken in the form of powder with water, it treated stomach diseases; mixed with rose oil or honey, it was used for diseases of the eyes and ears, and treated cracked legs. Using the mystical power of amber, one can supposedly detect poison: a rainbow flickering of sparks appears in the vessel, accompanied by a crackling sound. The stone was used for loss of consciousness (amber oil with ammonia), against sudden weakness and bleeding, suppuration and tumors, incessant cough and consumption, convulsions, mental disorders and hypochondria, treated and prevented a number of female and colds, strengthened gums and teeth. Amber was believed to cure dementia and suffocation, fever and jaundice, and was effective against deafness and abnormal metabolism, intoxication of the body and joint diseases, spasms, whooping cough and colic in young children. At the same time, it gives beauty and longevity to its owner. If a pregnant woman carries amber with her, she will safely preserve the fetus, and she is guaranteed a very easy birth. Claudius Galen, the famous Roman physician and naturalist, and Abu Ali ibn Sina (Avicenna) wrote about the importance of amber for medicinal purposes in their works. In ancient books you can find more than fifty recipes for medicines prepared from this stone. More than 40 compounds have already been identified in the composition of amber, and now one of the key vitamins – D3 – succinic acid (a non-specific biostimulant), the antimicrobial agent iodol is obtained from it, a substance is isolated that is often added to toothpaste and ointment for rheumatism, etc. As before, today they rub amber plates on their temples for headaches, and when children break teeth, they are given a piece of amber to chew; in Poland, amber tincture is still considered an effective remedy for colds, throat and respiratory tract diseases; The powdered gem is sniffed like tobacco for acute respiratory infections. An amber necklace will protect against goiter – Graves’ disease. The range of medical effects of succinic acid is very wide: it stimulates the nervous system, stimulates the activity of the kidneys and intestines, and is used as an anti-stress, anti-inflammatory and antitoxic agent. Succinic acid preparations help normalize the acid-base balance of the blood and restore vitality even in the elderly. Succinic acid has proven itself well in the case of pathology of the heart muscle, in the treatment of arthritis, as a powerful physiological stimulant of respiration (especially effective after anesthesia), etc. Low grades of amber are used in religious rites, as the stone burns well and emits a pleasant aroma – incense. In the old days, newlyweds and newborns were fumigated with the smoke of burning amber for good luck. It is curious that with this smoke asthma and cough disappear, and gnats and flies do not fly into the temple. In the past, it was believed that amber attracted insects to kill them. Scientific research has discovered more than 3000 species of insects (including spiders, ants, mites, dipterans and even some animals – lizards, frogs, etc.) and about 200 species of plants in “amber traps”. It was believed that it protected against evil spells, the evil eye, and diseases. The stone has always been considered by different peoples to be an anti-demonic remedy. There was a belief that by hiding an amber bead in the folds of a child’s clothing, one could counteract the devilish forces. According to tradition, the Shah of Iran always carried an amber bead with him, protecting him from assassination attempts, although not a single amber bead was found in the treasury of the deposed last Shah. Burmese children in the century before last often wore talismans in the form of frogs made of amber (birmit) to protect against damage and evil spells. In Scotland, it was believed that witches and evil spirits were warded off by amber beads strung on a red thread. In the distant past, in rich houses in Russia and Poland, nannies and nurses were sure to have a heavy amber necklace placed around their necks. They thought that it would not only make the baby’s skin dull and clean, but would also protect him “from the evil eye” and evil spirits, would not allow anything bad to pass from the nurse to the child, and would give him strength and health. Amber in the East has been used since ancient times as decoration for brides; In Rus’, they also put amber beads on the necks of brides before the crown. They believed that amber would help make a young family strong. Amber color: yellow, green, brown, black. Transparency of amber: transparent, translucent. Amber luster: greasy or glassy. Chemistry: Fossil tree resin. The key deposit of the stone is located in Russia, on the “amber coast” – the Baltic coast of the Kaliningrad region. Processing: mainly crafts. Care: Amber requires careful handling, like any jewelry stones and jewelry. It has been proven that stones do not favor soap solutions, since they contain chemical components, that is, substances of non-animal origin. Amber, like other organic stones, including mother-of-pearl, jet, pearls, as well as porous stones, such as turquoise, are mortally afraid of any, even the weakest chemicals, so it is recommended to wash them exclusively with clean water and wipe them with a gentle, soft cloth, and also do not keep it in the sun, etc. If your stone has lost its shine due to improper care, the situation can only be corrected by mechanical polishing. Advice – definitely ask a jewelry maker who regularly works with amber polishing! Everyone likes to buy or receive as gifts products and jewelry made from natural amber. But in order for amber products to delight us for the longest possible time, preserving their natural beauty and bewitching shine, it is necessary not only to wear and admire them, but also to properly store and care for them. It is necessary that caring for amber products becomes a pleasant and permanent habit for their owners. After all, watching how, with the help of simple manipulations, stones regain their former shine, play and sparkle in the sun’s rays is a real pleasure! Before you learn how to store amber products, as well as effectively care for them, you need to understand that this sunstone is one of the most delicate and soft gems used in jewelry. Its pebbles are warm to the touch, shining in all shades of golden yellow, warm brown and red. Amber is capable of pleasing the eye with its iridescence and truly divine, mysterious light. With all this, it is a rather capricious and demanding stone, especially in matters regarding its cleaning and storage. Therefore, amber must be handled with care, without harming it in any way. Amber can become cloudy over time, so if you store it for a long time, don’t be upset, but rather find out how to restore the shine to the stone. It is recommended to adhere to several simple rules for storing amber so that it does not lose its original appearance for as long as possible, without becoming cloudy or getting damaged.

Rules for using amber products

Storing amber products

Let’s look at how to store amber to avoid clouding and damage for as long as possible. Despite the fact that amber is called the “sun stone”, it does not react well to the scorching rays of the sun, so it, along with other natural stones, is best stored in a dark box. The only important nuance is that from time to time amber still needs to be taken out from there and “walked”, because this stone simply needs moderate “communication” with the sun. It is from saturation with solar energy that it acquires its healing properties and at the same time its mysterious shine. It has been noted that if amber is left in the open air for a long time, it can become covered with small cracks and become cloudy, so this should not be done. Amber is a soft and fragile mineral, so it is best to keep each amber piece of jewelry separately from the rest, in a hard box with a velvet lining, so that the stones are not damaged by scratching against each other, and do not crack when struck. You should not store amber jewelry together with other jewelry made from other stones or metals – such “neighborhood” will cause the amber to darken.

How to clean stone jewelry

If you adore your jewelry and never tire of admiring it, you undoubtedly want to know how to care for amber products. If you make it a rule to clean your jewelry from dust, grease, sweat and other contaminants after each use, then you will not have any problems with their appearance for as long as possible. For regular cleaning, it is enough to wipe them thoroughly with a soft cloth, without using hard sponges or hard brushes. It is also recommended to periodically rinse the amber under running clean water – lukewarm or cold, but not hot. In this way, the stones are not only cleaned externally, but also supposedly get rid of the negative energy that they have absorbed, protecting their owner from it. If jewelry with amber is very dirty, then they should be cleaned with products specially designed for this purpose. For home remedies, we recommend using a solution of water and ammonia, soaking the product in it for just a few minutes. Please note that soap solution is not suitable for this purpose, since soap contains various chemicals, the effects of which can adversely affect the sensitive mineral. Its microporous surface, along with stones such as turquoise and mother-of-pearl, can be destroyed by chemicals. Another option is to become covered with a white coating, which will be impossible to clean due to changes in the structure of the stone. In addition to ammonia solution, you can use ordinary lightly salted water for cleaning, soaking the jewelry for twenty minutes. After such water procedures, it is necessary to rinse the amber jewelry with clean water, then dry it and carefully polish it with a soft cloth – wool or flannel, preferably with the addition of a drop of olive oil. Very valuable amber products are not soaked in solutions or water, but are wrapped in wet wipes for several minutes, after which they are also wiped with a soft cloth to add shine.

It is necessary to remember that ultrasonic and steam cleaning, which can be destructive for the stone, are completely unsuitable for cleaning amber.

Bringing back the shine to amber

• To return the natural shine to amber and enhance the play of its shades, you can use salted water, leaving the product in it overnight. In the morning, you need to wipe it dry, then let it sit for twenty minutes in the open air, and then dip the product in warm olive oil for five minutes. The final stage of the procedure is polishing the stones with a woolen cloth.
• You can get rid of the cloudiness of amber in another, no less accessible way. The stones must be carefully polished with a mixture of paraffin and tooth powder. First, using a grater, rub a little paraffin onto a piece of soft cloth, then add about the same amount of tooth powder there, and grind these ingredients to a homogeneous consistency. Carefully, with light movements, polish the product, after which the remaining mass is removed with a napkin. If after this you wipe the stones again – with a clean, dry flannel – the amber will sparkle like new.

Earrings with amber in silver	Amber pendant in silver frame

A split or crack in a stone is not yet a tragedy

If it happens that your if the amber has split or cracks have formed on it – do not consider the situation hopeless, but contact a jeweler as soon as possible. It is better not to try to correct such damage on your own, because you can damage the stone even more. You should not put off going to the jeweler, since the edges of a damaged stone may change its properties, and over time it will become more difficult to restore it. A master who has the necessary tools at his disposal will help repair the damage and give the stone its original appearance.

Amber is an unusual and somewhat magical stone, so it should be treated with love and attention. This is a real miracle of nature, which should not be hidden in boxes, so you need to carry it on yourself, take care of it, saturating it with sunlight and energy, then cleaning it with running water and carefully polishing it. And the amber stone, in gratitude for this, will give you its warmth and wondrous shimmer.