Amber

Hardness: 2.0-2.5 (Mohs scale); Color: Yellow, orange, honey, and reddish-brown; Luster: Resinous; Crystal Structure: Amorphous (non-crystalline); Cleavage: None; Specific Gravity: 1.05-1.10 (floats in salt water).

Formed from the fossilized resin of ancient coniferous trees. The most famous deposits (Baltic Amber) date back to the Eocene epoch, approximately 44 million years ago. It forms through the polymerization of plant sap under pressure and heat over millions of years.

Primary use is in jewelry and decorative arts (such as prayer beads seen in the image). It is also highly valued in paleontology for preserving prehistoric inclusions like insects, feathers, and plant matter. Historically used for folk medicine and incense.

Amber is not a stone but a fossilized organic substance. The famous 'Amber Room' in Russia was a chamber decorated in amber panels of immense value. It is one of the few organic gemstones, along with pearl and coral.

Identify in the field by its light weight and warmth to the touch compared to stone. It can often be found washed up on beaches in the Baltic region. Collectors can test authenticity by rubbing it with a cloth to generate static electricity (it will attract small bits of paper) or by checking buoyancy in heavy salt water.