Amber Listserv / any information on this?

[Les Sayetta]

Actually Charles, I don't know if all amber crazes with age.

I have three  deep red cabs, that I had set in 18k w diamonds that have not 
started to craze or change in any way.......  I have had them for 30 
some-odd years.  Not in nitrogen, but in a box in a drawer.

I also have amber stones of all colors  about as old with no signs of 
crazing.

Les





----- Original Message ----- 
From: "charles stearns" <stearnscharles at hotmail.com>
To: <sayless at adelphia.net>; <amber at ambericawest.com>
Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2006 2:06 PM
Subject: Re: Amber Listserv / any information on this?


> ....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
>
>
>