fluorescent amber

Years ago I purchased a large amber pendant called "fluorescent amber". It
was called this because when you put the piece in sunlight or under
fluorescent lights, it would take on a bluish cast like opalescent glass
does. However, over the years it has lost some of its fluorescent quality.
My question is : What was done to it to make it fluoresce? Was it
irradiated? What can I do to restore it?

Smitty

On Fri, 06 Feb 2004 19:10:24 -0800, in rec.crafts.jewelry "Smitty"
wrote:

Years ago I purchased a large amber pendant called "fluorescent amber". It
was called this because when you put the piece in sunlight or under
fluorescent lights, it would take on a bluish cast like opalescent glass
does. However, over the years it has lost some of its fluorescent quality.
My question is : What was done to it to make it fluoresce? Was it
irradiated? What can I do to restore it?

Smitty


Much amber is at least somewhat naturally fluorescent, and while several colors
are possible, a bluish or greenish blue color is common. The intensity of the
fluorescence seems strongest on freshly broken or cut surfaces. My sources
don't suggest why this is so, but amber, despite being a fossil, nevertheless
contains at least some volatile oils in it's composition, which are slowly lost
over time during wear, or just exposure to air, and sun. It could easily be
that whatever trace constituents are responsible for the fluorescence are
slowly lost when thus exposed to air and/or sun. That would explain the
published observations that fluorescence is strongest on fresh surfaces, as
well as your experience.

So far as I know, amber is not normally treated to induce fluorescence, though
it certainly would be possible, since it IS commonly treated to clarify cloudy
material, or manufacture larger pieces from small ones, in the product called
pressed amber. In the 'clarification" process, amber is heated in rape seed
oil, very carefully, which allows some of the oil to diffuse into the material.
the result is a generally clear/transparent material characterized by "sun
spangle" fractures. But if the oil contained fluorescent dyes, then they
possibly would be carried along with the oil perhaps only just barely
penetrating into the surface, but this would be enough I'm not aware of this
being done, however.. Note that "clarified" amber then looks different from
most naturally occurring amber sold as 'fluorescent amber', since the natural
material usually has fair numbers of inclusions and flaws, especially those
pieces where the fluorescence is so strong as to warrant specific mention when
sold.

Personally, I'd not encourage you to try and restore the fluorescence. Doing
it artificially is not an improvement if the original effect was natural. But
if you insist, I'd guess that most any solvent based fluorescent dye would be
able to at least adhere to the surface, if not penetrate it a little, imparting
it's effect. And heck. If the science whiz kids can come up with genetically
altered aquarium type zebra fish that now glow bright red, fooling with your
amber is just as likely to give you some results...

Peter

In article ,
says...
Years ago I purchased a large amber pendant called "fluorescent amber". It
was called this because when you put the piece in sunlight or under
fluorescent lights, it would take on a bluish cast like opalescent glass
does. However, over the years it has lost some of its fluorescent quality.
My question is : What was done to it to make it fluoresce? Was it
irradiated? What can I do to restore it?

Smitty




Here in Mexico they (the Chiapas ambar dealers) say to rub the amber on
your face or arms every once in awhile, your natural oils help to
preserve the amber's sheen. ...and Mexicans have been doing this for
hundreds of years!

We have some deep blue amber pieces that are extremely irridescent - we
rub them about once a month (when we remember) and they look the same
today as when we bought them - 5 years ago.

Most chemicals we have tried seem to fog the amber rather than help to
restore it.

A Mexican tale...

BIL


--
"Don't speak unless you can improve upon the silence..."

Thanks to BIL PULFORD and Peter W. Rowe. You were very informative.