Sunlight captured, time frozen, life suspended... amber offers a view of an extinct world, the ancient remains of conifers whose resin once flowed to be exposed to the outside elements, to trap light and life in its sticky embrace, and whose memory still washes up on the shores of the Baltic sea after a storm...
We've gathered some fine examples of jewelry being produced with Baltic amber, jet, and sterling silver. More jewelry can be expected and the availability will always be shifting. We tend to pick unique cuts and designs with Nordic and Celtic themes. What you see is what currently is in stock, and in most cases there is only one piece available of each style. The prices are loosely based on weight, with workmanship, uniqueness, and aesthetics all affecting them. Furthermore, all of these prices are set at wholesale levels for all customers to bring these amazing pieces to you in the most affordable way possible.
Our latest acquisitions are showcased over on our new page for at least a month before they make it over here. We also have a page for our other goodies that contains various pendants and necklaces with different themes than what you'll find here.
Thanks!
We have a page just for bracelets, in materials such as amber, stone, cloisonee, cinnabar, and wood.
Many of the types of designs that would normally appear on this page, as well as some that appeared on our other goodies or new pages, will now only live on this bracelet page.
Examples include: amber bracelets with oval shaped chunks of amber, each one including an insect, a good amount of faceted amber bracelets set on elastic string, cognac and green amber cabochon and silver bracelets, and silver knotwork patterned cuffs.
Elegant horizontal amber and silver oval-shaped brooch. $70.
Three dark Baltic amber and silver pendants.
The central one is $40,
while the two faceted pendants on the outsides are $25/each.
One of the two smaller faceted pendants has SOLD;
the central piece has sold.
Baltic amber necklaces with many hues of faceted beads!
We present several gorgeous beaded Baltic amber necklaces.
Yellow, orange, cognac, cherry red, to almost black...
many types of variations are available.
Prices vary based on weight and complexity of the faceting.
Amber necklaces should eventually be restrung with knots between the beads for longevity:
this prevents the beads from rubbing together and perhaps causing small chips,
and also prevents loss of individual beads in the case of string breakage.
Please click on the cropped images below
to view an image of the whole necklaces posted at full size.
An elegant Baltic amber necklace with large faceted beads. $200.
First shown are necklaces that are
$55 (SOLD), $56, and $63/each.
Please click on this cropped image
to view one of the whole necklaces posted at full size.
The second shown set of two necklaces are $75 and $76/each.
Third we show three faceted Baltic amber necklaces:
left: round yellow unusual diagonally faceted beads ($75),
middle: round beads that have two-toned checkered patterns ($87),
and right: yellow oval non-faceted beads ($92).
Fourth we have a necklace with yellow and deep cognac beads that is $87.
The fifth image shows a necklace with unusually carved beads that is $110.
Sixth shown has two necklaces that are both $105/each.
The last image shows a necklace with a mixture of dark cognac and rich yellow beads that is $140.
Be sure to visit our bracelets page
for matching faceted Baltic amber beaded bracelets!
Antique jet necklaces!
We are pleased to have found these gorgeous faceted old jet pieces at reasonable prices that we are able to pass on to you! All exhibit a somewhat dry or dull-looking patina to them - a testament to their age.
Jet (aka lignite) is a type of highly mineralized wood, largely made up of carbon which imparts a rich black color. Indeed, this is the material that started the phrase 'jet black.' Amber deposits have been found in jet, leading some people to believe that in these examples, the jet was formed from the wood of the tree that actually produced the amber! It is difficult to classify... it's no longer wood, yet it has not quite petrified to be thus deemed stone (the cells have not been completely replaced by minerals). It is most closely related to coal, and yet it is often intimately associated with amber. A beautiful enigma!
A very long old jet necklace made from oval faceted beads.
A few of the tiniest beads are made from black glass ($175).
Please click on this smaller image to view the whole necklace.
Three different new jet bead strands...
the first and last two are faceted ($30/each),
and the middle one is square ($25-SOLD).
These are not finished necklaces, but strands of beads only.
Please click on this scan to view one at full size.
Vintage 'French jet' (aka black glass made to replicate jet) faceted beaded necklaces.
Two are shown; please click the above image to view all of them posted at life size.
Prices range from $40-$50/each.
French jet old black glass double necklace,
actually made in Germany ($35).
Two square thick Baltic amber and silver pendants.
$40 and $45/each.
Round silver pendant with 7-based design.
$25/each.
Celtic knotwork and tree pattern two-toned pendants:
$25/each small round or square; $30/each large round or oval.
The medium round piece with a Celtic plus-shaped design on the left side of the middle row,
and the tree on the bottom left have both SOLD.
Silver and green Celtic knotwork necklace
with knotted leather cord. $25.
Please click through to see an image of the full necklace.
Silver Nordic or Celtic pendant:
a fat triskel ($8).
Sterling silver convex triskel pendant ($12).
Sterling silver 4-based angular diamond knotwork pendant ($12).
Small triangular pendant with two suspension points
displaying intricate Celtic knotwork ($5).
Celtic knotwork beast pendant, probably a dog ($25).
Icelandic style Thor's hammers
made of a brass or bronze colored base metal. Only $2/each.
There is a hole in the mouth area for suspension from a cord or chain.
Only 3 pieces left!
Traditionally made Russian birch bark boxes,
embossed with leaves, animals, or other folkloric designs.
Oval Russian birch bark box. Medium-large. $18.
There is even a pattern on the inside bottom!
Note that there is a small break near the top seam.
This photograph does not show this box at real size.
Small Russian birch bark box showing
a log cabin and a river with sailing boats.
There is even an image inside of the box bottom.
The Vikings are coming! $12/each.
A large tall oval box that is $20.
An oval box with traditional house,
with braided edges, for $15.
An oval box with flowers and wheat design,
with braided edges, for $10.
Natural Baltic amber drop shapes. $10/each.
These resemble the ancient poetic term for amber: 'Freya's tears.'
The first two rows have neat walnut or brain-like patterns;
the others in the last two rows are more smooth.
Please click on this image to view one with the sold ones marked.
Although these are not being sold by weight, for reference,
they range from 1.0 to 3.7grams (0.035 to 0.130 ounces)/each.
With the sold ones removed, we weighed the minimum and maximum per each row:
The 1st row range from 1.6 to 2.2 grams (0.060 to 0.080 ounces)/each. The first and fifth have SOLD.
The 2nd row range from 1.0 to 2.3 grams (0.035 to 0.080 ounces)/each. The first and third have SOLD.
The last piece has some chips that have fallen off.
The 3rd row range from 2.7 to 3.4 grams (0.095 to 0.125 ounces)/each. The 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th over have SOLD.
The 4th row range from 2.2 to 3.7 grams (0.080 to 0.130 ounces)/each. The 6th, 7th, and 9th (last) ones have SOLD.
These Baltic amber specimens have bugs!
They are in little plastic cases with magnifying tops, as shown.
The small ones are $10/each,
while the large one has SOLD for $20.
Baltic amber specimens range in overall shapes and sizes,
and average $2/gram (with a $25 minimum).
They all have lots of bubbles and inclusions.
Click on this scan for a close-up view of the first piece.
Ask about our current selection.
Polished raw copal specimens, most with bugs and other inclusions, are available for $1/gram (rounded up to the nearest whole dollar).
Great for displays!!! This is an inexpensive option and a great way to see some preserved insect specimens while avoiding the much higher cost of amber.
Copal is within the continuum of fossil tree resins: it starts as resin; several thousand years later it is considered copal; twenty million or more years later it is considered amber. The word is derived from the Nahuatl (Aztec) word copalli, meaning 'incense.' It is softer and more brittle than amber, is soluble in acetone, alcohol, or ether (a drop applied to the surface makes the copal become soft or sticky), and has a lower melting point than amber, tending to actually melt rather than burn.
Close-ups are shown above of copal specimens with insects and hollowed out twig-like inclusions.
Please click on these thumbnails to view larger images. These photos are not to scale.
These close-ups show details of some of the pieces shown in the overall image below.
Top left: Row 4C - 93.4grams
Top right: Row 3B - 35.5grams SOLD
Bottom left: Row 2C - 31.8grams SOLD
Bottom right: Row 4A - 53.9grams
Please click this thumbnail to view one posted at life size.
Both smaller and much larger pieces are available. In the order shown, we have:
Row 1:
1.4grams (1A - tiny piece, little flow line and tiny bits of debris)
Please note this will only be sold along with any other piece of copal due to its small size/light weight.
8.2grams (1B - SOLD: insect and flecks)
9.5grams (1C - lines of bubbles, some cloudy parts)
9.8grams (1D - SOLD: lots of tiny bubbles which makes it look effervescent and one insect)
12.5grams (1E - mostly clear with twig-like impression off to the side)
25.8grams (1F - SOLD: bubbles of many sizes and bugs)
Row 2:
26.0grams (2A - SOLD: at least 7 insects, bubbles, one side with an indent left unpolished - overall shape almost like the letter c)
26.4grams (2B - SOLD: bugs, wing + other parts, organic debris, swirls/flow lines, some less translucent areas)
31.8grams (2C - SOLD: close-up shown; with really nice twig-like inclusions)
Row 3:
32.5grams (3A - SOLD: 2 bugs with escaping bubble, lots of neat tiny flecks/bubbles? in layers/rows)
35.5grams (3B - SOLD: close-up shown; at least 6 insects, other interesting debris, twig-like hollowed out inclusion, piece is mostly transparent with some cloudy flow lines)
38.6grams (3C - cluster of at least 6 bugs near pointed end, lots of flecks, natural indent, some surface crazing)
Row 4:
53.9grams (4A - close-up shown - 3 insects, twigs?, bubbles, one surface left unpolished shows neat texture and patterns that are magnified by the rest of the copal)
58.0grams (4B - dense piece with insect and other dark inclusions, some opaque/cloudy areas showing flow)
93.4grams (4C - close-up shown; 3 insects near surface, some surface crazing, one unpolished side creates neat textures magnified by the rest of the copal)
