Amber has become a polymer, a natural plastic. This gem comes in many colors, with the most common being yellow, orange and brown. Rarely, you will find amber with a green, blue, or violet tint. This is due to extreme fluorescence. There are several shades of these colors and several grades of transparency.
Jewelry is made almost exclusively from the transparent material.
The opaque material is carved into a variety of artistic ornaments and useful utensils. Amber is known for its inclusions. They consist of insects, pollen and plant debris from the time the tree was living. This offers a remarkable view into the past. In some of the finer specimens, whole termite colonies are trapped.