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| One of the reasons amber can continue to fascinate collectors over the centuries is the complexities and surprising things one can usually manage to find even within the most humble of beads or ornaments. In the example shown here, a typical bead of several millimeters diameter was taken from a rather plain, non-exotic, and relatively inexpensive necklace and photographed via trans-illumination. Notice the depth of colors and textures and the rather interesting inclusions that can be seen in just this one view. On closer inspection I was able to find a number of interesting inclusions within this one bead -- including leafy plant matter, woody stems, remnants of ancient insects, air bubbles, water droplets, and a number of strands and pieces of unidentifiable organic matter. Since everything in the bead is at least 25 million years old, it's interesting to delve into this microscopic realm and try to identify the traces that remain of an ancient world. Even without a microscope, the bead has a beautiful luster and golden warmth that just about anyone can apreciate for its own sake. |
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