How to clear and polish amber - from rough to gemstone with ease

Amber can be found on the beaches of Norfolk and Suffolk but often it can be cloudy or milky inside. I have discovered a way to make the amber clear to the rich honey-coloured yellows & oranges we associate with amber and this video shows how to do that and then polish the amber from it's raw state into a pice ready for carving for jewellery. I tend to leave my amber pieces in a more natural shape as shown in the video.

Kit used for the polishing -

[christinecook]

I Cannot thank you enough for this video! I managed to damage the shine on a very special cognac amber pendant and was pretty upset. I followed your video and although I had not heard of PEEK and was skeptical about trying your method, I managed to find some and follow your instructions. My pendant came out looking like it did when I bought it! Thank you so much!

[janeday]

Amber is truly magical I many pieces in silver, lovely info

[FOL_and_meadow]

Wow, thanks! Very helpful to hear I might be able to turn my white-ish piece a richer shade. I am trying to find out if I can get polish off of amber beads carefully and cleanly. Welcome to hear any ideas beyond trying a simple salt bath.

[KarenFisher-nozd]

Thank you for such a great video. I have a piece that we found on Edisto Island, South Carolina, USA in 2016 after a storm. It’s very clear and very fragile. I’m going to give polishing a go.

[delsakelly]

Thank you. Looks easy to polish the stone but hard to find one.

[leomasciale]

Thank you for this very valuable & useful information. Interesting and fun to watch.

[laraconner]

I love the Baltic, egg yolk amber, so I guess the polishing process is the same minus the oil bath.?

[skipstubbs]

nice video, thank you. I have some old African amber beads. would this work ok for them I wonder about the soaking. ???

[AndreasYiasimi]

Captivating Chris. So informative and brilliant commentary to compliment another fine cinematic piece. I loved it topman ❤

[bluetobaz]

What an amazing experience as we follow you step-by-step...very well and beautifully....
spoken...but l
very sure...when you catch the insects Amber
You will never sell you will spend all your life watching it..man
you are hunted by Amber...just like me

[jasonsgems]

Nice video and a great tip on clarifying the amber, may have to look out for a cheap slow cooker. I thought that the sunspangles and darker colours were more sought after?

[JrangeyV]

Great vid, I had no idea you could do that with Amber! I’ll be keeping an eye next time I’m walking the beach. Cheers.

[crystalheart]

I love amber and enjoyed your video on how to do it yourself polishing. Are the sun spangles caused by the oil heating a good or bad thing? I really don't like to see them but they do appear in jewelry.

[marshajobes]

Gr8 video n explanation.
What is the polish used at the end please? Need to repolish to remove ikk fron next to skin.

[sliva]

I wonder why no amber is found around the shores of Ireland. There were once forests. However, regarding colours I wonder if "black" amber (usually it's a very dark brown, red or green) is simply boiled for a very long time. And the most greens are also treated. I've paid once quite a price for a red amber necklace, is there also a trick to make amber red? And I guess that the boiled or otherwise treated ambers have no healing purposes. Would be glad if someone could answer my questions. But in any case, I love amber from white to black and hope that my little collection of jewellery is no fake. But the most pieces smell like needle trees. Cant put it in saltwater as the most are in silver. Thanks for posting, very interesting.

[EllenEtten-rj]

I took an amber bracelet in for repair and the jeweler put the bracelet in a chemical to remove tarnish from the silver. Now the amber has lost it's shine. what product would you recommend to shine it up?

[skipstubbs]

Thanks Chris. I would appreciate your advice as to how to remove pitting from old African amber trade beads. I don't want to change the color, just give them a smooth patina. some have it, some don't. dseems i cannot attach photos for you. sorry. cheers...skip

[jbtaylor]

I have machined a "butterscotch honey" amber bead to make a replacement clasp. The result is OK but th amber has lost its color. Is there any way to restore it?

[Nancynope]

Thank you for posting such a great video

[skipstubbs]

i'm also concerned about cooking. woud just soaking for a week without heat help?