Polish amber: Fossilized tree resin is back in style
Amber is an organic gemstone valued for its radiant warm hues. While modern fashion long branded it as somewhat stuffy and old-timey, young designers in Gdansk, the world's "amber capital," are making it hip again.
Trend and tradition
This necklace has nothing to do with the traditional amber jewelry found in souvenir shops. Students at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk have created individual art pieces. The young designers use traditional jewelry-making tools, such as drills and polishing machines, as well as modern devices like 3D-printers.
A new take on amber
The young designers want to create something new from the yellow stone with an outdated image: "From the very beginning, we learn the entire design process — how to use our creativity and different technologies," student Martyna Golinska, (center) told the AFP news agency.
Ancient history
Amber is not a stone, it is made of fossilized tree resin at least a million years old. This piece was formed some 40 million years ago from conifer resin. Amber often contains air bubbles, plant fragments or insects that were trapped before fossilization, making each piece unique.
'Baltic gold'
Amber collectors use hydraulic equipment to search for the orange-yellow fossils on a Baltic Sea beach at Laszka. In ancient times, the so-called "Amber Road," one of the most important trade routes, ran along Poland's coast. From here, the amber, known as "Baltic gold," was transported to the Mediterranean region.
International admirers
Amber's popularity is widespread: In China, it is valued for its supposed healing properties while in the Islamic world, it is sought after for prayer beads like these pictured. In Gdansk, workshops, shops and stalls selling amber can be found on nearly every corner of the old town. The Baltic city is considered the world capital of amber.
Amber trending
A model wears modern amber jewelry at a trade fair in Gdansk. "Young people are looking for something new," student Dominika Afeltowicz told AFP. Emerging designers like her are trying to "push boundaries," she says. Amber is easy to shape, which makes it ideal to experiment with.
Futuristic forms
These artistic pieces by design student Martyna Golinska were developed using a 3D printer. The dark, inlaid amber is hard to detect at first glance. Put together, these items are somewhere between ready-to-wear fashion and haute couture. Most importantly, the young Polish designers want to keep amber in style in the future.