It’s important that all of our Amber is ethically sourced. We only work with the finest Amber that is collected from the shoreline of the Baltic Sea to protect our planet. Our aim is to make high quality jewellery that cares for the environment. It’s difficult to believe that this beautiful gemstone is found on the beach yet we do understand why it’s so in demand.
Discover how Amber is found along with the dedication and hard work it takes to bring this fiery gem to our workshops.
From the Beach to the Bench
Our gem hunters know exactly what they are looking for when spotting Amber on the beach. The stretch between Karkle and Melnrage along the Baltic coast is a popular one. It’s not an easy task yet with a trained eye and determination, high quality pieces are handpicked. The specialists have been combing the waves for many, many years spotting the familiar glow of the fiery gems.
They can spend hours sorting through the shells, grass and seaweed hoping to uncover Amber pieces. Some days they not find much yet other days will be more successful. Not all fragments that end up on the beach are large enough to turn in to jewellery yet a lot of what they find is suitable. In the right conditions, it is certainly possible to collect a couple hundred grams of small pieces where others find a lot more.
It gets quite competitive after a particularly stormy evening as more Amber will be scattered along the coast after a night of disruption. They could be competing with up to 200 to 300 hunters all looking for the same captivating gem. Shallow waters are a good place to scour as Amber is easier to find. However, on a still, calm day they could be the only ones on the beach.
The Amber Hunters
It’s a waiting game! The Amber catchers head out after the worst of the storm has passed and the ocean is still disturbed. The waves should approximately be one metre high and the foam has settled for visibility and safety. Not even the most experienced hunters want to be searching for Amber when the waves are high and strong, it’s too dangerous. However, they don’t wait too long as the sea will become calm ad begin to retreat taking all of the golden gems with it.
Dressed in waterproof clothing and wellies that reach their hips, some Amber hunters will wade in the water with skimming nets. Looking for seaweed and sticks, with the larger sticks reportedly floating with the larger pieces of Amber. The goal is to catch any of the beautiful gem before it is swept away again. Some try to spot the piece before using their nets whilst others keep catching the seaweed hoping for some Amber.
We feel passionate about only using naturally sourced Amber for our collections. As you can imagine it it no easy task yet with determination and persistence it is achievable to rely on natural erosion to source Amber. After all these years we are still in awe of this incredible gemstone that is brought to us by nature and is lying on the seabed waiting to be washed onto the beach.
