Does anybody know of a company of place in the DR that sells raw amber? Is there a main company that does most of the amber export out of the DR? Are there large scale ops that are putting the amber into jewlry? Any info would be great. THANX
- Thread starter palenque2012
- Start date
Raw Amber
Have you see raw amber for sale in Barahona? Has anybody seen a place in the DR where raw amber is being set in jewlry? On another note how is the drive,towns,beaches along that strech of road? Any responses would be great. THANX
palenque2012 said:
Here are the listings for Amber from the "Super Pages" DR phone directory. A few appear to be in the Zona Franca, which usually indicates they export.
Good luck.
Yes they sell raw amber in Barahona hasta en bares si lo preguntas .... y ademas puedes comprar raw amber hasta en el museo del amber en SD en la zona colonial y como he dicho antes , la mina de amber cerca de Barahona esta muy bien indicado en el camono a Oviedo mucho antes de llegar al Paraiso ..pero como no le pedido no estoy seguro que puedes comprar aunque con un poco de esfuerzo ...the road from Barahona to Oviedo antes del Paraiso una playa muy Dominicana is the most beautiful coast I have ever seen in the DR ..------
palenque2012 said:
palenque2012 said:
You need to make SURE it is amber and not simply resen. There is a way to test, I believe it has something to do with salt water.
Is it amber?
Just found this.
here is your link for testing- http://www.cooljools.com/TestingAmber.htm
Just found this.
here is your link for testing- http://www.cooljools.com/TestingAmber.htm
Ambar in English ... translation in summary
Sorry for mixing English and Spanish ...due to San Valentin wine etc,,The only thing I added to my previous comment was that on two occasions I was even offered Ambar by waiters in a restaurant in Barahona . Probably stolen from the mine close to Barahona (I didn't buy and another point was that in the colonial zone of SD there is a small museum of Ambar like they have a?? over the country .. There I once bought a rough piece of amber and had it worked in Spain (free translation )....
If you want to buy directly in a mine would insist you to go with a honest Dominican who knows about amber and prices
Sorry for mixing English and Spanish ...due to San Valentin wine etc,,The only thing I added to my previous comment was that on two occasions I was even offered Ambar by waiters in a restaurant in Barahona . Probably stolen from the mine close to Barahona (I didn't buy and another point was that in the colonial zone of SD there is a small museum of Ambar like they have a?? over the country .. There I once bought a rough piece of amber and had it worked in Spain (free translation )....
If you want to buy directly in a mine would insist you to go with a honest Dominican who knows about amber and prices
palenque2012 said:
In the airport in STI at the gift shop they sell it. I bought a pair of earings for 14dollars and a bracelet for 23. I think its amber.
I was told you can test it by putting it in a cup of water. If it floats or not tells you if its real. I don't remember what the real amber does, I think the real one sinks. Mine sank.
I was told you can test it by putting it in a cup of water. If it floats or not tells you if its real. I don't remember what the real amber does, I think the real one sinks. Mine sank.
What are your aims with this amber? Just want to play with some? Are you looking for fossils captured in the sap? If yes then understand that starting with the most primitive things ( leaf, flea. ant spider-with/without web, snail, snake/lizard and so on ) on up the evolutionary scale things get very expensive. Also, color plays a role as do other things. So that is why I ask what you intend to do.
I bought approx 50 pieces of polished amber from clear to dark and all with some form of life captured inside. The worst of the pieces appeared to be what was most prefered by jewelers, at the commercial level. Cost was around $550.00 The least of my pieces was selling in stores in the D.R. from $75.00 to $150.00. And that was with very simple silver clasps/brackets/holders without chain.
Without extensive marketing and packaging it's difficult to creat a market.
It is so special and yet??.... The Baltic amber seems to be the most prevalent for some reason. Price??
There was a big fraud scheme carried out, in the states, a few years ago. Jewelers found it was easier to not sell it rather then trying to overcome the bad taste in peoples mouths.
Dos centavos, solemento. John
I bought approx 50 pieces of polished amber from clear to dark and all with some form of life captured inside. The worst of the pieces appeared to be what was most prefered by jewelers, at the commercial level. Cost was around $550.00 The least of my pieces was selling in stores in the D.R. from $75.00 to $150.00. And that was with very simple silver clasps/brackets/holders without chain.
Without extensive marketing and packaging it's difficult to creat a market.
It is so special and yet??.... The Baltic amber seems to be the most prevalent for some reason. Price??
There was a big fraud scheme carried out, in the states, a few years ago. Jewelers found it was easier to not sell it rather then trying to overcome the bad taste in peoples mouths.
Dos centavos, solemento. John
I,m deeply sorry
I'm so sorry ... that I gave you wrong information .. The mine close to Barahona is a Larimar mine not amber ...and what they wanted to sell me was Larimar not amber ..Sorry that I mislead you ... Have bought some amber in SD in the Amber(or Larimar Museum in the Zona Colonial ..Sorry again
I'm so sorry ... that I gave you wrong information .. The mine close to Barahona is a Larimar mine not amber ...and what they wanted to sell me was Larimar not amber ..Sorry that I mislead you ... Have bought some amber in SD in the Amber(or Larimar Museum in the Zona Colonial ..Sorry again
palenque2012 said:
Raw Amber...Need More Information
I Have a shop and factory in the Colonial Zone in SD where we work in Amber, making jewelry and figures. I also buy and sell amber regularly and often have enough to wholesale. If you give me some more info as to what you are interested in I am sure I can help. If you are not sure about quantities, clarity, color or inclusions I will be glad to give you a crash course in person. If you are interested, let me know.If not tell me what you need/want and I will try to help. I'll let you know how to get in touch with me after.....Don't want to get the ribbing for a free business plug.
Rich
I Have a shop and factory in the Colonial Zone in SD where we work in Amber, making jewelry and figures. I also buy and sell amber regularly and often have enough to wholesale. If you give me some more info as to what you are interested in I am sure I can help. If you are not sure about quantities, clarity, color or inclusions I will be glad to give you a crash course in person. If you are interested, let me know.If not tell me what you need/want and I will try to help. I'll let you know how to get in touch with me after.....Don't want to get the ribbing for a free business plug.
Rich
Fake Amber
Here are a few ways to tell is amber is real or not. If you put a piece or real amber into saltwater it will float, plastic sinks. This only works if there is no silver or anything else connected to the amber. Amber also conducts static electricity, plastic doesn't. Plastic under a florescent light glows the same as under the sun or any other light. The glow will change if you put amber under a florescent light. The true tell all test is to put it under a flame, amber has a wonderful smell when burned and plastic smells like burning plastic when burned. Too bad you can't go and take a lighter to every bit of amber you want to buy. Hope this helps.
The reason I'm looking for raw amber vs. polished/finished amber for one is it is much easier to do these tests. It is very hard to fake raw amber and I don't think you could do it with plastic. Athother cool thing about the raw amber is that you pay for the main color of the amber either yellow or red. Until you polish and open up the piece you don't know if it has any insects in it or if it has any greens or blues in its color. One more note, I've seen amber with bugs in it that was the dust of polished amber reformed around the bug. This amber would pass all the tests because it is real amber but the bug isn't billons of years old. Just another form of fake amber to look out for.
Here are a few ways to tell is amber is real or not. If you put a piece or real amber into saltwater it will float, plastic sinks. This only works if there is no silver or anything else connected to the amber. Amber also conducts static electricity, plastic doesn't. Plastic under a florescent light glows the same as under the sun or any other light. The glow will change if you put amber under a florescent light. The true tell all test is to put it under a flame, amber has a wonderful smell when burned and plastic smells like burning plastic when burned. Too bad you can't go and take a lighter to every bit of amber you want to buy. Hope this helps.
The reason I'm looking for raw amber vs. polished/finished amber for one is it is much easier to do these tests. It is very hard to fake raw amber and I don't think you could do it with plastic. Athother cool thing about the raw amber is that you pay for the main color of the amber either yellow or red. Until you polish and open up the piece you don't know if it has any insects in it or if it has any greens or blues in its color. One more note, I've seen amber with bugs in it that was the dust of polished amber reformed around the bug. This amber would pass all the tests because it is real amber but the bug isn't billons of years old. Just another form of fake amber to look out for.
Please be aware, it is illegal to export 'rough' loose stones of any kind, be it larimar, amber etc. This protects the limited deposits from being misused, and keeps the stone finishers here in work. As a matter of interest, pebbles of larimar can be found on the beach at Bahorhuca,(spelling?) near Barahona, brought down from the mine in the hills by the river. The tiny amber sales shops on the tourist road between Santiago and Puerto Plata carry a wide variety of loose amber. The road needs careful navigation because of landslides and washouts caused by the unusual recent rainfalls. Have fun! Canadian Bob (geologist).palenque2012 said:
canadian bob said:
Does anybody know where the amber mines are in the DR. I'm thinking that there has to be a area the majority of it comes from. N,S,E,W? Highlands/coastal? THANX
Hi! There are amber mines in the highlands just west of the 'Tourist' road between Puerto Plata and Santiago. To my knowledge this is the area where most of the amber is 'mined'. I have not visited the location, but was told the only access is by horseback. I was also told that there have been a number of deaths of miners due to collapsed shallow tunnels and open pits. This general area, which is very rugged is also the 'home' of thugs who have terrorized several travellers, including some who are my personal acquaintences. Take care! Canadian Bob.palenque2012 said: