Amber Cabochons (Reconstituted/Treated)

Reconstituted and/or treated Amber Cabochons

Reconstituted Amber is distinct to natural Amber, and this needs to be made very clear up front. These cabochons are sold singly, but we do offer discounts for bulk purchases.

• Natural Amber is a solid chunk of Amber which has been mined or fished from the sea, then cut and polished by a lapidary artist.
• Reconstituted Amber is an amalgam of offcuts and smaller pieces of Amber that have been combined artificially using heat and pressure.
• Treated Amber is either reconstituted or natural, but has been treated to improve the colour or quality. One of the more common treatments for Amber is boiling it in oil - this improves the clarity but causes characteristic 'sunburst' fractures inside the piece.

Reconstituted Amber has a place - it is significantly cheaper than natural Amber, especially for large pieces. It is generally still UV reactive, but not as brightly as natural Amber. Natural Amber often has a blue-yellow fluorescence, whereas reconstituted Amber tends to have a dark orange fluorescence. To be honest, a lot of the lower priced Amber jewellery available is made with reconstituted or treated Ambers.

The pictures you see here are representative of the products and are usually not the exact item you will receive. Where various grades are available we do try to photograph each grade - but some photographs are still on their way!