|
| About Blue Amber |
| |
Is Blue Amber Truly Blue?
No. It is not. And yet, it is. Confused?
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 -- see also our article on aromatic molecules in our Blue Amber Blog)
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. See the example at the left. Find more information at http://www.blueamber.info.
But, does this make it less beautiful? To the contrary. Observe fascinated as the reflected daylight plays intriguing color tricks on the same smoothed and polished gem of natural Dominican blue amber as you hold it in your hand and gently move it around. |
  |
Dominican blue amber is not blue when the light shines through it, but when the light shines on it. See the example below. |
  |
Some are impressed by the stong, startling blue intensity. Others prefer the clear, clean, yellow amber with a descrete hue of blue... or whatever is in between. |
| |
 In conclusion: Blue amber is blue, but not the way you might think. The pieces to the left below have been photographed in daylight, half on a white surface, half on a black surface. The difference is clear. When sunlight strikes the Blue Amber on a white surface the light particles pass right through and are refracted by the white surface. Result: the Blue amber looks almost like any other Dominican amber, only with a light blue hue.
But, in the other half of the picture, the situation is different. The light particles can't refract off the black surface, so it is the Amber that refracts, and the hydrocarbons in the Blue Amber turn the sun's ultraviolet light into blue light particles. The result: the famous blue glow of Blue Amber.
This effect is only possible with Dominican Blue Amber pieces graded within the Blue Amber category. Any other amber (like Baltic i.e. and other) will not display this phenomenon at all. And other Dominican amber will show this refraction only in concentrated UV light, but not in natural light.
In case that you have inclusions in the piece of amber, they will have the same effect as the black background. |
  |
Please also compare the same clear blue amber cabs on white vs. black background. |
 |
All pictures have been taken with a regular digital camera in the shade of our verandah, without any artificial light.
Fascinating, isn't it? |
| |
 Color Examples
Color Information
Contact Us |
| |
| |
