My Baltic Jewelry....

Welcome to Friday Show And Tell hosted by the lovely

Kelli at There Is No Place Like Home

Fall is my favorite season of the year. Yet, moving to California from Washington has been quite a CHANGE in season. It is not the same Fall feeling here as it was back home. I am so missing the cold chill, the crisp air and the falling colors from the trees. Yeah, there are some leaf falling here, but not much.

Anyhow. Every Fall I look forward to wearing my Amber jewelery that came straight from the Baltic Sea and handcrafted into jewelery in Latvia. My background is Latvian, which my Grandparents lived until 1950. They lived near the Capital, Riga and close to the Baltics where these lovely gems are found.

This is my favorite piece of Amber made into a lovely brooch. It looks like berries and leaves on a stem. This piece was sent to us from family now in Latvia. I will always treasure this pin.

This is a lovely pair of earrings my Mother bought me while she was visiting relatives in Latvia. I have a matching ring, except I could not find it... it is still packed away in the many boxes I have yet to unpack since our move. It has the same shape as the earrings. Absolutely gorgeous, set in sterling silver. I hope to have many more pieces in the future... perfect to wear in the Fall season or heck, anytime !!!!!

This last piece is not amber but was also bought for me as a gift from my Mother for my birthday. I love wearing this ring !!!

These rings were worn by little girls and young unmarried women in Latvia, copy from 6-12 century A.D., also known as engagement ring or 7 day ring. Little ornaments with symbols were added to keep away evil spirits. ( I am not superstitious) But, I love wearing this ring and hearing the jingles.

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A Little History On Amber

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Amber is found on the Baltic Sea shores, was and is highly treasured. Amber is fossil tree resin, which is appreciated for its color and beauty. Good quality amber is used for the manufacture of ornamental objects and jewelry.

Although not mineralized, it is often classified as a gemstone. It is a fossil resin" which came from the sap of "several varieties of pines.these pines grew in the subtropical forest" in the present location of the Baltic Sea. "For unknown reasons these pines produced excessive amounts of" sap. "The overproduction may have been nature's method of healing natural injuries caused by storms, lightning, pests and diseases, or perhaps it was caused by a sudden change of climate." Sap "dropped to the forest ground, was embedded into the local sediments, compressed by the overlying deposits, and in time became fossilized. Numerous fragments of both plant and animal life were trapped in the sticky" sap "and thereby preserved. These inclusions make it possible to identify the plants and animal life of the period." I have been told that jewelery made with stuff in the raw amber is highly valuable.

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Interesting info on amber in Latvia