By Leah Coghill | Updated Mar 24, 2022
Amber, often classified as a precious stone, is actually the fossilized resin of pine trees, not a mineral. Sea amber, washed ashore with its surface smoothed by waves, is prized for its polished look and is often more valuable than mined amber, which typically has a crusty exterior. Because amber is light, it can float and be carried by the sea.
Amber’s allure dates back to antiquity. The Greeks called it "elecktron" because rubbing it with cloth produces static electricity. The Romans, as Pliny noted, valued amber so highly that Emperor Nero would exchange a small amber figurine for a healthy slave. In the Stone Age, amber was integral to daily rituals and supernatural beliefs. Fossilized amber can be up to 135 million years old, though most specimens range from 25 to 50 million years.
The green hue arises from prolonged exposure to marshy environments rich in decaying organic matter. Modern jewelers often enhance the color and clarity of Baltic green amber by heating the surface with oxygen or placing it in a vacuum chamber with nitrogen or argon. This treatment, common to many precious stones, clarifies the amber and accentuates its natural tones.
Green amber is most frequently sourced from the Baltic and Dominican regions. Baltic specimens typically display a mossy or olive green, while Dominican amber is known for a vivid blue‑green or turquoise shade. Dominican green amber is rarer and often showcases a naturally intense green without additional heat or chemical treatments.
Price varies widely based on clarity, color, cut, and size. The presence of visible insect inclusions dramatically increases value, sometimes pushing a single specimen into the tens of thousands of dollars—especially when sourced from the coveted Dominican market.
