Amber is a fossilized tree resin that is valued for its beauty and healing properties. It is used as a gemstone to make jewelry and decorative objects. In alternative and folk medicine, amber is praised as a cleanser of the body and spirit.
But did you know that the Dominican Republic is home to some of the world’s most valued amber? Even better news? You can find gemstone quality amber right on the beaches of Cabarete — your condo’s backyard! Keep reading this blog post to get all the details.
How Is Amber Formed?
Trees produce resin to heal from injuries and protect their trunks from insects and parasites. Under favorable conditions (such as warm Dominican weather), the resin solidifies and gets washed away by streams. It then mixes with clay and sandstone and eventually turns into a fossil. Amber often contains fossil inclusions, such as insects, plants, and even lizards. Some may think that it’s kind of gross to have a prehistoric fly stuck in a gemstone, but, in our opinion, it makes amber even cooler!
What Makes Dominican Amber Unique?
Hymenaea Protera, an extinct prehistoric tree, was the source of Dominican amber millions of years ago. To be precise, scientists estimate that Dominican amber dates back around 16 to 25 million years. It may sound ancient, but Dominican amber is one of the youngest types of amber, with the oldest ones being more than 40 million years old.
Dominican amber is considered to be some of the best amber because it’s often fully transparent and contains many fossil inclusions. The translucent beauty of Dominican amber makes it attractive to jewelers and collectors. And scientists love Dominican amber for all of the prehistoric things fossilized in it. Here at Cabarete Palm Beach Condos we love it because it makes a gorgeous jewelry piece that we can show off at Cabarete’s best beachfront bars! And also for the occasional 20 million years old moth trapped in it.
Amber comes in different colors. The most common ones range from yellow to dark brown, but you’re extra lucky if you spot a rare blue or green amber, the most precious kinds.
Healing Properties of Amber
In alternative medicine, amber is praised as a powerful cleanser. It absorbs negative energy, drawing it out of the body and the environment. It clears the mind and opens the chakras. The life force of the creatures trapped inside amber stimulates fertility and may be beneficial for birth or post-partum healing.
If you’re interested in learning more about Dominican healing gemstones, read this blog post on Larimar!
Amber Hunting in Cabarete
If you’re ready to go on a treasure hunt on beautiful Cabarete beaches, grab your flip-flops! During rain or storms, amber gets washed up on the beach, tangled in a bunch of seaweed. Take a slow beach walk, enjoy the tropical views, and search for pieces of amber. Be patient! It’s somewhere out there. It looks like a dirty rock until you brush it off and shine it up. So look closely.
If you don’t find any amber on Cabarete beaches, don’t despair! Take a trip to Puerto Plata and visit the Amber Museum.
Are you ready to go amber hunting? Book your beachfront condo now!