Blue amber

There are several theories about the origin of the color and it is not fully understood what causes the blue color in amber. We know that it is a result of fluorescence and no solid color. Ultra-violet or violet light is re-emitted as blue or green light attributed to the presence of poly-nuclear aromatic molecules. (Gemology, Cornelius S. Hurlbut, Jr., Robert C. Kammerling)

This makes a lot of sense, because the best way to test blue amber is placing it under an ultra-violet lamp which intensifies the color to a radiant cobalt-blue. And, we have noticed that blue amber can be recognized by a very agreeable smell (aromatic molecules), which is different from regular amber when it is being cut and polished.

One theory links the color in Dominican blue amber to the occurrence of volcanic ash or dust which was present when the resin was first pressed out from hymenaea protera millions of years ago.

Another suggests that due to volcanic activity hot lava must have flown over those areas where regular amber was buried under ground. Due to the extreme heat, the amber changed its color first to green and then to blue. Experiments have shown that a changes of colour occur when normal amber is heated up.

While the mystery around the origin of its color has not been cleared, one thing is sure: Blue Amber is beautiful and it is extremely rare.

We of AmbarAzul sell it to you directly from the place of its very origin.

And - of course - besides the blue, we also have rough amber in regular amber colors and all those special colors like green and blood red, as they are only found in Dominican Amber.

At Santiago, in San Domingo, in the valley of the brook Acagua, amber pieces, some as large as the egg of a goose, reward the explorer.'

J.G. Haddow, 1891
(Patty Rice: Amber -
the Golden Gem of the Ages)