Amber Listserv / any information on this?

[charles stearns]

....I have seen amber so very dark that it looks like it might be black; but 
when held up to the light you can see that delicious red color peeping 
through.

Regarding the fine faceting, this is one of the factors that determines the 
value of the amber.  It will take an incredibly complex and fine amount of 
faceting.    The more facets, the more valuable.  A lot of the older amber 
pieces (necklaces) have this wonderful faceting.....

Les, you're right, rich red amber should appear black and only with back 
lighting would you see the color. But for the supposed age, more than 100 
years, it should be heavily crazed, a heavy spider web of black lines on the 
surface and it appears free of any crazing. I have never seen faceted pieces 
with any age that the facets don't exhibit signs of wear and rounding of the 
edges. Everything I have seen that looks like this has been stone, glass or 
some other synthetic material. Who knows, maybe it has been in a nitrogen 
sealed case stored in a bank vault, but I don't think so.

Just my humble opinion. The companion diamond ring though, without any 
grading of the stone, indicates to me that the seller doesn't have a clue, 
again IMHO, I am not GIA certified, but I can grade diamonds. I have 
financed my amber endeavors from working for diamond jewelry stores.

Charles