![Amber – a gift from the Gods Banner Sally Thorntons Jewellery blog on Christmas gift ideas from Thornton Jewellers Kettering Northampton](https://aathorntonjeweller.com/wp-core/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Amber-Jan-2021-Banner-Template.jpg)
Amber – a gift from the Gods
Amber is a wonderful and beautiful gem, it remains magical, mystical and like honey – a gift from the gods.
Amber is an opaque or translucent fossilised natural resin from an extinct variety of pine tree. When around 60 million years ago the pine resin oozed out of the trees, it covered everything in its path – like insects and flora – and over the millions of years it underwent a number of changes.
![Gold Plated silver 7 link multi coloured amber necklace £135 our ref 100540 Gold Plated silver 7 link multi coloured amber necklace £135 100540 Sally Thorntons Jewellery blog on Amber from AA Thornton Jeweller Kettering Northampton](https://aathorntonjeweller.com/wp-core/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Gold-Plated-silver-7-link-multi-coloured-amber-necklace-135-100540.jpg)
Gold Plated silver 7 link multi coloured amber necklace £135 our ref 100540
![Large oval amber and silver wire swirl cuff bangle £149 our ref 100521 John Garland Taylor silver hammered cufflinks £104 Sally Thorntons Jewellery blog on Christmas gift ideas from Thornton Jewellers Kettering Northampton](https://aathorntonjeweller.com/wp-core/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Large-oval-amber-and-silver-wire-swirl-cuff-bangle-149-100521.jpg)
Large oval amber and silver wire swirl cuff bangle £149 our ref 100521
![Silver lazered amber butterflies brooches from £55 Silver lazered amber butterflies brooches from £55 Sally Thorntons Jewellery blog on Christmas gift ideas from Thornton Jewellers Kettering Northampton](https://aathorntonjeweller.com/wp-core/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Silver-lazered-amber-butterflies-brooches-from-55.jpg)
Silver lazered amber butterflies brooches from £55
![Silver & amber spider pendant £45 our ref 100574 Sally Thorntons Jewellery blog on Amber from AA Thornton Jeweller Kettering Northampton Silver & amber spider pendant £45 our ref 100574](https://aathorntonjeweller.com/wp-core/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Silver-amber-spider-pendant-45-100574.jpg)
Silver & amber spider pendant £45 our ref 100574
To the Phoenicians Amber was a prime commodity whilst Etruscans used it for making jewellery. It was said during the days of the Roman Empire that amber was more valued than a living slave and in medieval times the amber industry was ruled by the Teutonic Knights.
Greek legend said that Apollo wept tears of amber when he was banished from Olympus. They also discovered that amber can acquire a static electric charge when rubbed and so the word electricity is derived from electrum the Greek name for amber.
![Silver amber dragonfly pendant on a chain £52 Silver amber dragonfly pendant on a chain £52 Sally Thorntons Jewellery blog on Christmas gift ideas from Thornton Jewellers Kettering Northampton](https://aathorntonjeweller.com/wp-core/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Silver-amber-dragonfly-pendant-on-a-chain-52.jpg)
Silver amber dragonfly pendant on a chain £52
![Gold plated pendulum congnac amber pendant on snake neckle £179 our ref 100541 Sally Thorntons Jewellery blog on Amber from AA Thornton Jeweller Kettering Northampton Gold plated pendulum congnac amber pendant on snake neckle £179 our ref 100541](https://aathorntonjeweller.com/wp-core/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Gold-plated-pendulum-congnac-amber-pendant-on-snake-neckle-179-100541.jpg)
Gold plated pendulum congnac amber pendant on snake neckle £179 our ref 100541
![Silver spiral amber brooch £26 our ref 100714 Sally Thorntons Jewellery blog on Amber from AA Thornton Jeweller Kettering Northampton Silver spiral amber brooch £26 our ref 100714](https://aathorntonjeweller.com/wp-core/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Silver-spiral-amber-brooch-26-100714.jpg)
Silver spiral amber brooch £26 our ref 100714
![Amber & silver ball drop wire earrings £27 our ref 100568 18ct Three colour diamond set bubble ring £1,495 Sally Thorntons Jewellery blog on Christmas gift ideas from Thornton Jewellers Kettering Northampton](https://aathorntonjeweller.com/wp-core/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Amber-silver-ball-drop-wire-earrings-27-100568.jpg)
Amber & silver ball drop wire earrings £27 our ref 100568
It was during the Art Nouveau period of the early 20th century that amber started to be enjoyed for its decorative effect rather than for its intrinsic value, and in the 1950’s a bright bead craze, including ropes of amber saw the stone in the fashion spotlight.
Poland is the biggest source of amber and it there that we obtain the vast majority of our amber jewellery. I always try to keep a wide range dealing directly with small independent polish suppliers who produce unique one off pieces.
Whilst some amber is mined it is generally considered that the highest quality pieces are those washed up on the Baltic beaches so for some amber hunting or searching is a way of life.
![Small carved amber bear £69 our ref 100546 18ct diamond set interlocking ring pendant on chain £2,045 Sally Thorntons Jewellery blog on Christmas gift ideas from Thornton Jewellers Kettering Northampton](https://aathorntonjeweller.com/wp-core/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Small-carved-amber-bear-69-100546.jpg)
Small carved amber bear £69 our ref 100546
![Large marquise open green amber & silver pendant £60 our ref 100523 Silver hammered triple heart pendant on a chain £49 Sally Thorntons Jewellery blog on Christmas gift ideas from Thornton Jewellers Kettering Northampton](https://aathorntonjeweller.com/wp-core/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Large-marquise-open-green-amber-silver-pendant-60-100523.jpg)
Large marquise open green amber & silver pendant £60 our ref 100523
![Oval amber & bead silver wire drop earrings £38 our ref 100563 Sally Thorntons Jewellery blog on Amber from AA Thornton Jeweller Kettering Northampton Oval amber & bead silver wire drop earrings £38 our ref 100563](https://aathorntonjeweller.com/wp-core/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Oval-amber-bead-silver-wire-drop-earrings-38-100563.jpg)
Oval amber & bead silver wire drop earrings £38 our ref 100563
![Oval silver scalloped amber pendant on chain £93 our ref 100539 Sally Thorntons Jewellery blog on Amber from AA Thornton Jeweller Kettering Northampton Oval silver scalloped amber pendant on chain £93 our ref 100539](https://aathorntonjeweller.com/wp-core/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Oval-silver-scalloped-amber-pendant-on-chain-93-100539-.jpg)
Oval silver scalloped amber pendant on chain £93 our ref 100539
The best season for this is spring and autumn as storms can wash the stones ashore. They say it is most productive to start in the early morning using a torch and net whilst others believe that watching where seagulls collect will lead them to the rewarding spots.
The city of Gdańsk is widely recognised as the global centre of the amber trade with the AI motorway which starts in the city also being known as the Amber Motorway. There are even restaurants serving amber soup.
Amber can still find be found around our coastlines and a few local people still walk the Norfolk beaches and collect small amounts, especially after the winter storms have driven amber ashore. This Norfolk Amber is the same as found in the Baltic and was probably transported towards Britain during the ice age by ice sheets moving out of southern Scandinavia.