Blue Amber

Lamung (South Sumatra) Geologically, this deposit occurs in the Sinamar Formation which is an early Oligocene age rock formation (approximately 23-30 million years old). These rocks have locally been intruded by younger volcanic dikes and sills. Subsequently the coal and amber were subjected to volcanic heat while buried deep in the sedimentary basin. Just one of 2 dozen active modern day volcanoes on the island of Sumatra, the Mt. Kerinci volcano lies just to the west and is a reminder of how natures kitchens work.

Blue amber is mined extensively in only two places, the Dominican Republic and Indonesia. Only a fraction of the amber mined is the rare blue color. The blue fluorescence comes from trace elements of aromatic hydrocarbon component perylene, according to the GIA. Sumatran blue amber is naturally a cognac-red tone and Dominican amber is naturally a light honey color. According to the GIA study, the blue color exhibited by the Sumatran Amber is the result of surface fluorescence stimulated by UV light.

The UV is completely absorbed and does not penetrate or pass thru the amber as it does in crystalline stones like color change garnets, alexandrites and other gems. This phenomenon in which color changes with the wave length of light is called the Usambara Effect. A study of the origins of the ambers which exhibit blue sheen concluded that the Sumatran and Dominican blue amber resins were produced by the extinct tree species Hymenaea Protera which lived 20 to 40 million years ago. Another of the unique qualities of this material is an aromatic fragrance when it is worked or exposed to flame. The rarest color of this magnificent organic gem is blue.

Often a blue amber stone will not appear blue to the naked eye, as it needs to be placed under a fluorescent light to illuminate the fluorescents inside of the gem. Other than the Baltic Ameba from Poland and Russia, current commercially viable locations include areas of Mexico, Burma, Malaysia, the Ukraine, Dominican Republic and most recently, Indonesia. Two of the major Amber producing areas of Indonesia are Kalimantan and Sumatra, which produces higher gem qualities of Amber than other locations. Blue is the rarest color of all Ambers and makes up less than 1% of all the Amber mined in Sumatra. This Sumatra Amber has not been heat treated nor otherwise altered to enhance its appearance or durability.

All Amber is susceptible to damage from direct UV exposure and it should be stored in a dry, cool place and out of sunlight