Even though the summer has ended and we might feel a bit sad about it, the early autumn is beautiful for light breeze and colorful, sunny days. We want to inspire you and share some ideas on how to match your outfit with our gorgeous amber jewelry! Jewelry made from beautiful cognac color amber is always eye-catching and unforgettable. You can match it with the autumn‘s colors clothes or even flower print items as in the picture. Long boots and a comfortable bag make it a perfect combination. For dark colors admirer who wants some jewelryto accent their best features, white amberjewelry is a perfect idea! These amber stones will make you feel brighter on a rainy day and boost your confidence to the next level. Ah, that royal red color is really fascinating. With these cherry amber jewelry pieces, you will always look luxurious and make an extraordinary impression! This mystical color perfectly matches all nude shades outfits and emphasizes your exclusive taste in fashion. Take a look at our amber collection, we hope you'll find something to match your style!

Amber is an exquisite gemstone and it has so many reasons to be loved for, but be mindful and treasure it like it deserved. By following these easy guidelines, your amber jewelry will reward you with a lifetime of service, value and positive energy. How to store it Baltic amber is a precious gemstone, so be sure you treat it with care and treasure like any valuable property. “Amber is a soft gemstone and especially with age it can even become brittle. It is important to keep in mind that chemicals and oxidation can cause an unpleasant harm to it.” Amber should not be stored with other jewelry because it can easily be scratched or rubbed, especially because of metals. We recommend you keeping your amber jewelry in a soft pouch with a drawstring for closing. How to clean it In order to keep your amber jewelry in its best condition, time to time you should clean it. To do that, you will need a soft flannel cloth dampened with clean lukewarm water. Be sure you have dried your amber very carefully and then you can lightly polish it with clear olive oil. After that, use another soft cloth to remove any excess oil and polish it until it shines. Remember to be careful when cleaning Amber has an approximately Mohs Hardness Value of 2.5, which means it’s a very soft gemstone, and can be scratched. Other valuable information Be aware that perfume or hairspray and similar other chemicals are placed far from your amber jewelry. And please, never clean you amber with a help of commercial cleaning solutions. One more important thing is – look where you keep your amber jewelry. It is extremely important not to leave amber in direct sunlight. If you take off your amber jewelry, put it in its soft bag in order to avoid direct sun rays. Also, avoid extreme temperatures – too hot or too cold can cause damage to the stone. Amber is an exquisite gemstone and it has so many reasons to be loved for, but be mindful and treasure it like it deserved. By following these easy guidelines, your amber jewelry will reward you with a lifetime of service, value and positive energy.

It is not a secret, that Lithuania is well-known for strong amber craftsmanship traditions, but who knew that there is also an old legend about the origin of amber? This story was written in 1842 by Adomas Jucevicius. According to the legend, a long long time ago when the Thunder was the main and the strongest God of all pagan gods, the goddess Jurate was living in an amber castle at the bottom of the sea. She was the prettiest of all the goddesses and haven‘t yet discovered human love. But one time, in a place where small river Sventoji merges with the Baltic sea, a brave fisherman Kastytis threw his fishing net. Jurate sent mermaids to inform the fisherman, that it is not allowed to disturb the sea life and catch the fish. But fisherman Kastytis ignored the warning and continued fishing. Jurate was intrigued to find out, who did not follow her orders and decided to go to the surface. Once she saw Kastytis, she instantly fell in love with him for his bravery and charm. Kastytis couldn‘t resist Jurate as well, so he went to the bottom of the sea to live with her at the amber castle. Unfortunately, the Thunder found out about their love and got really mad. He was so upset that he threw his bolts and flashes of lightning at the amber castle and tore it down completely. Kastytis did not survive this tragic accident, and Jurate was stuck near the damaged amber wall. Now, with every wave that comes, Jurate still cries and mourns for the love of her life Kastytis and their love story that ended so tragically. Her crying and heartbreak sometimes become so sad and potent, that the sea starts to run high, which involves small amber pieces of the broken castle, and throws it to the seaside. Those small pieces of amber are called Jurate's tears, because of their clarity and pureness, same as Jurate and Kastytis' love.

In our previous article, we’ve written about a special Epoxy Resin that makes “magic” to imperfect amber beads. We stressed the fact that by just looking at the product, you cannot determine if it was fixed with epoxy resin, or if it is a completely natural and genuine amber piece. Here is one more sample, that we have made. A ring before had a clearly visible crack. But after gently applying some of the epoxy resin, the crack was filled and seemed just like a natural, darker shade of amber at that spot. After reading all of this information, you probably had an idea, that you would check your amber jewelry over the ultraviolet lamp (UV lamp) and that would be the best way to examine if the product was healed with the epoxy resin or not. Well… “Unfortunately, but this epoxy resin shines the same as natural amber in the ultraviolet amber. You can’t even distinguish the border, where amber ends, and where the epoxy resin starts. ” Having in mind this fact, it’s about time we say how important it is to choose a reliable, honest, and fair amber jewelry seller or a supplier (if you are a wholesaler who owns the shop). Also, there is one way, how, theoretically, you can check if amber jewelry was healed. However, it’s not the cheapest, easiest or quickest. We will share it with you in later parts of this topic. Stay tuned. * Important! Our company, Amber by Torvela, is categorically against any unconscientious adjustments and manipulations when producing amber jewelry. We do not use any glue, lacquer, dye, epoxy resin, plastic or any other chemical materials in our amber jewelry.

As you have probably made a conclusion, this special epoxy resin is a good trick that some of the manufacturers might be using to sell you “very high quality”, yet “too good to be true” priced goods. Sometimes, judging by the amber product’s price, you can tell if it is 100% genuine, or healed with some chemicals. "However, if you spot amber with a spectacular insect inside - the price might be adequately fair, but the inclusion inside might be actually put inside the amber manually, by the manufacturer. " To make it more clear, when using epoxy resin, it is possible not only to fix the cracks, fill the holes, but also add some insects from the windowsill into the amber. Like we did with this product below. Here's a before picture: And here's a picture of the same bead after applying epoxy resin: Imagine, how many different manipulations a creative person can make to his amber jewelry, in order to make more money and save, steal or gain new clients, who day-to-day are asking for the highest quality, and lower-priced goods. If you are buying your amber jewelry from various shops, various sellers, various manufacturers, and now feel lost, afraid to might have been deceived, then look forward to Part 4, where we share our knowledge, how to detect the originality and nature of your amber jewelry. * Important! Our company, Amber by Torvela, is categorically against any unconscientious adjustments and manipulations when producing amber jewelry. We do not use any glue, lacquer, dye, epoxy resin, plastic or any other chemical materials in our amber jewelry.

Nowadays, when amber jewelry’s demand is very high, and when the high-quality raw material consists maximum 7-10% (depending on the mining place), yet many consumers insist on having their amber jewelry made cheap, beautiful, and with no imperfections, many manufacturers are trying to comply with their clients' wishes. And so they start fixing amber. Some of them are using lacquer, some are making very high-quality pressed amber, and some are using a special epoxy resin, about which we are going to talk today. With no further introductions, we would like to present to you a little amber piece, which is completely natural. It has many cracks, many imperfections, even holes, which formed in nature. We’ve made an experiment, in order to show you, how this special epoxy resin works. So why are we stressing the importance of this material so much? Take a look yourselves. This is the same amber piece, only covered with a special epoxy resin and then polished. “ As you can see, the surface of this piece is completely perfect, with no cracks, no holes.” If you are determined, that you would be able to detect this unconscientious adjustment, then take a look at this necklace. The bead which is in the red circle is the same bead. Its surface was roughened, made into “frosted” style. Now you might agree, that it is impossible to distinguish this “healed” amber piece from other, 100% natural amber beads, once it is in the necklace. Read more about this special epoxy resin in soon-to-be-published Part 2. * Important! Our company, Amber by Torvela, is categorically against any unconscientious adjustments and manipulations when producing amber jewelry. We do not use any glue, lacquer, dye, epoxy resin, plastic or any other chemical materials in our amber jewelry.

Unfortunately, these days Natural Amber is extremely hard to find, having in mind its depleting resources and the price of this genuine, nature's created resin. Here we are going to share some tips, how you can check* if the amber that you have is natural. Visual amber test The first and probably the easiest way to test if amber is genuine is by carefully looking at it. Since amber has formed naturally in nature, it‘s beads have some imperfections. Most common of them are small air bubbles, tiny cracks or even pieces of plants. In addition, it is very rare occasion when the beads are in perfect round shape. Oh, and you should also know that when touching amber, it is always warm, and that is not the case with the fake ones. Salt water test This effective test is mostly suitable for loose beads or amber pieces without any metal components. In order to do this test you will need seven teaspoons of salt and a cup of water. Pour the salt into the water and stir it until salt is fully melted. Then put your amber gemstone into the water and hope it floats. The real stone stays on the surface and the majority of the fake ones drown easily. Rubbing test This test is for determining if the stone you have is amber or copal. Real amber has electrostatic properties, so if charged sufficiently, it can pick up any paper pieces or dust. If you want to charge your amber you need to wrap it up in a cloth and then rub it for approximately 20-60seconds. After doing that, hold the stone near the strand of hair. “You are lucky if the hair is attracted towards the stone, because it proves you are holding genuine amber. If nothing is happening, most likely you have a piece of copal in your hand.” Hot needle test Notice: You shouldn‘t do this test if you are afraid of leaving a small mark on your stone, which can be caused by burning. Anyway, if you decide to do the test you will need to heat the needle and then push it against the stone. If the needle went in only slightly or some cracks were left it means that it is most likely real amber. The genuine amber also leaves a smell of old punged tree. In other case, the needle goes in very easily and the smell is either plastic or if it is copal - fresh pine. You’ll be posting loads of engaging content, so be sure to keep your blog organized with Categories that also allow visitors to explore more of what interests them. Scratch test Notice: this test is even more likely to permanently damage amber stone. It is usually preferred when not expensive amber is being tested. By doing this test you can separate genuine amber from colored glass. Glass beads can‘t be scratched with metal and the real amber is a stone that is soft enough to get scratched. So if you are not able to scratch your amber beads then it is probably fake. Scent test This test is also when you want to determine what stone you are holding in your hand – amber or copal. It might be a bit more difficult since you need to know the difference between smell of these two stones. Scent of true Baltic amber tends to be stronger than compared with copal. And in case you are dealing with other type of fake you should smell plastic smell once a bead is heated. One more thing! Be aware, that some of these tests might harm your gemstone with little marks or even completely ruin it. So be careful and attentive by choosing a test and by doing it. Keep in mind, that the price can also show whether the piece you are purchasing is genuine, or fake. If amber jewelry is priced way much lower than most competitors, this might be a good indication that something may be wrong. In other case, it is your right to ask for a certificate from a seller proving the goods he is selling are made from genuine amber. Trustworthy sellers will have no issues providing you this kind of proof. *Please have in mind, that the most reliable answer is the one you can get at the institute of gemology.

So far we’ve learned that some people are using epoxy resin for these reasons: To mask and hide various cracks and openings in natural amber To grow an amber stone bigger, that is to say, make a piece thicker and heavier To manually attach inclusions to the stone To create other manipulations (maybe including shapes, colors, etc.) In conclusion, all these little explanations lead us to the only reason, why these people are choosing to use epoxy resin. That is, to make their clients happy with “high-quality”, “natural”, “cheap” amber, and to make maximum amount (and even more) profit from their fake amber jewelry. If you don’t want to wear some chemicals surrounded amber on your neck, your hand, ears or finger, we can only suggest you to check your amber jewelry’s quality and originality at the institute of gemology with the method of spectrum analysis. The scientists would be picking a small amount of the amber and then they would get information, how many of it is real amber, how many, and what type of chemicals were applied to it. But, have in mind, that if the necklace which you are checking, is from many different beads (remember the necklace we showed you in Part 1), some beads might have been healed with epoxy resin, and some not. Maybe the touch of this material was very delicate, only to the small cracks which now are completely indistinguishable. This method is not cheap, quick, or 100% reliable. So we are getting back to the start. Be conscious when choosing your favorite amber jewelry shop or manufacturer. Have in mind, the current situation in the world with the raw material, salaries rise, etc., and think clearly, whether the price you are getting is too good to be true? Take responsibility for your actions, listen to your inner voice. * Important! Our company, Amber by Torvela, is categorically against any unconscientious adjustments and manipulations when producing amber jewelry. We do not use any glue, lacquer, dye, epoxy resin, plastic or any other chemical materials in our amber jewelry.

In our shop, you can also find some natural, also nature's created, Colombian copal. It is a much younger fossil resin than Baltic amber. While Baltic amber counts 40 million years, Colombian Copal is only 1.6 million years old. More generally, the term copal describes resinous substances in an intermediate stage of polymerization and hardening between "gummier" resins and amber. “Copal resin comes from trees in the Buresa family, which is considered a medicinal tree to the Mayas in southern Mexico. These medicinal trees are traditionally used for clearing the body of diseases and also to keep mosquitos away. Since ancient times, Copal incense has been considered sacred to the people of Mexico, as well as South and Central America. It goes as far back to the Mayan and Aztec cultures. Mass amounts of copal resin were burned atop the Aztec and Mayan pyramids as offerings to the gods and deities. In the Mayan ruins, copal was discovered in the burial grounds, proving its spiritual significance. Copal incense is a wonderful energy tool to use during your meditations. It is linked with the crown chakra, deepening your awareness and encouraging pure thoughts during meditation. Copal also helps to strengthen the auric body, removing all energy blockages. It is particularly useful in times of stress or even for alleviating feelings of depression, because it helps you to shift your mindset. Copal incense is completely natural incense that is used to purify the energy of spaces, places and objects. It has a clean, light, woody scent that could be compared to pine or turpentine. One of the best copal uses is burning it to clear away all the negative energy and make positive changes. It brings a very positive and loving energy that will fill your home with peaceful energies.” (source) No one can deny that this stone is also magnetic, it has it‘s own positive energy and the spirit of nature. In his book “Call of the Sacred Drum Volume 3: Crystal Spirit Medicine”, the author David Robert Cobb says that same as Baltic amber, Colombian copal opens and cleanses all of the chakras. Highly protective, it also aids in the manifestation of ideas to reality. The life force trapped within these gemstones promotes fertility, and its protective and environmental clearing properties make it a good stone to use to prepare a healing or birthing room. Due to its softer nature, in order to be more suitable for the jewelry, Colombian copal must be repeatedly cured in an autoclave. Dishonest salesmen call Colombian copal simply amber, but even though this gemstone is known as the younger brother of Baltic amber, it is not it. Copal has it‘s own unique color range, a little bit different from amber, which makes it an unique gemstone, valued for its own characteristics and exquisite colors. Discover our copal jewelry in the section copal and discover it in a new, fresh way!