Natural Amber (Kehruba) in Pakistan

How amber differs from other gems

Most gems grow as crystals inside rock. Amber started life as sticky resin seeping from ancient trees, slowly hardened over millions of years, and was later dug up or washed ashore. The Baltic region is the best-known source, and its amber runs from pale lemon and honey to deep cognac and cherry-brown. The name Kahruba is usually explained as "straw-catcher" in Persian, because rubbed amber picks up small bits of straw with static charge.

Colours and collector pieces

• Honey and golden amber - the classic look, glowing warmly when light comes through it.
• Cognac and darker tones - deeper, richer browns that suit men's rings and pendants.
• Amber with inclusions - pieces holding tiny insects, bits of plant or air bubbles caught in the resin, which collectors love because each one is a small window into the distant past.

Genuine amber or a copy?

Amber is imitated with plastic, glass, pressed (reconstituted) amber made from melted scraps, and copal, a much younger resin that has not fully hardened. A few things help you tell:

• Real amber is very light. Glass imitations feel clearly heavier and colder.
• Natural amber often shows uneven colour, flow lines or small inclusions. Perfectly uniform colour, or neat sparkly "suns" in every piece, can point to heating or pressing.
• Rubbed briskly on cloth, real amber may give off a faint pine or resin smell and pick up tiny scraps of paper.

Please do not try the hot-needle test you see online; it damages the stone and means it can no longer be returned. If you want certainty, an independent lab can test it, and our authenticity page explains how we check every piece.

What sets the price of Kahruba

Amber is easy on the budget compared with crystal gems, but prices still vary. Clarity and an even, attractive colour push value up, as do size and a clean, well-polished shape. Interesting natural inclusions can add a collector's premium. Since each listing is one piece, the per-carat rate is simply its price divided by carat weight.

Tradition and everyday wear

Amber has a long folk history across Asia and Europe, where it was worn for warmth, comfort and vitality, often set in silver. It has no fixed planet in classical South Asian astrology. These are beliefs handed down over generations, not promised effects, and many of our customers simply love its glow. It works in pendants, beads and rings for men and women.

Looking after amber

At about 2 to 2.5 on the Mohs scale, amber is one of the softest gems you can wear. Keep it away from perfume, hair spray, alcohol and strong heat, wipe it only with a soft damp cloth, and store it on its own so harder stones cannot scratch it.

Ordering amber from Authentic Gems

The piece in the photographs is the piece you receive. We check every stone before listing it and ship by insured, tracked courier for a flat Rs. 500: Karachi usually 1 to 2 working days, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and other major cities 2 to 4, smaller towns up to about 7. With Cash on Delivery you open the parcel and look at the amber before paying. If it is not right for you, our 7-day return policy covers unused stones in their original condition.