Materials glossary / Organic material
Amber
On the label: Amber · Organic material
What it is
Fossilized tree resin, Mohs 2 to 2.5, warm to the touch and light enough to float in salt water. Baltic amber is the common source; 'pressed amber' is small pieces fused; copal is young resin sold as amber.
Organic materials: Materials made by living things: pearls, amber, coral, shell, jet, bone. Softer than mineral stones and sensitive to acid, heat and perfume.
Wikidata: Fossilized tree resin. Q25381 →
In the research
131 PubMed papers mention it with jewelry, allergy, eyewear or UV; the three most recent:
- Protocol for the Manipulation of Fossil Amber to Reduce Allergenic Effects · Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 2027
- Sensory Analysis of Cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum) Melomel Produced with Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii Using Acceptance Testing and the Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) Meth · Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 2026
- The spectroscopic fingerprints of blue and green fluorescent resins from La Cumbre mine in the Dominican Republic · Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy, 2027
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on one fabric or one filter says little about the piece in your hand.
Other organic materials
Clasp & Lens describes materials from the public record and does not appraise, grade or test pieces; what a listing states is the supplier's statement. If a piece causes a rash, take it off; a reaction that spreads or blisters is a doctor's question, and sunglasses are no substitute for impact-rated eye protection where that is required.