7. Amber in India

The gemstone industry in India is growing due to increasing demands for more elaborate jewellery and ornaments.

When it comes to amber, there are many reasons why people value amber, wear it or keep it with them as a symbol of protection. In India, amber is used for jewellery, ornaments and medicine, with amber having some recognition since ancient times.

As I have said in other articles, it is often presented as a stone, but it is not a stone in the true sense of the word, but is fossilised tree resin which over time takes on a harder consistency. In order to turn into amber, the resin has to survive living in bacteria, microorganisms, exposure to sunlight, extremely high temperatures and extremely low temperatures.

Since ancient times, amber has been valued and appreciated for its colour, natural beauty and India is also among the places where amber was valued as an ornament and also used as a folk medicine. Amber necklaces are common in India, and people who don't believe in the power of gemstones wear them as a style, while others wear them as they believe in the healing powers. Indians believe that the popular amber can heal us, cleanse the mind and spirit. It is also believed that it is the old one that gives the power of healing and protection. The older the amber, the stronger it is, and natural amber has the gift of bringing positive energy and improving mood.

Amber is also known as Kaharau in India. The price in India starts at $3 per carat and can go up to more than $50 per carat, depending on the quality and uniqueness of the amber.

In 2010, an international team found about 150 kg of amber in the ancient rainforest of Gujrat, India. It's called Cambay amber because it was found in coal mines in the Cambay Shale. Hundreds of prehistoric insects and other small creatures have been discovered buried in the resin of the fossilised tree about 50 million years ago, before the Indian subcontinent collapsed into Asia. The tiny creatures, including ancient bees, spiders, termites, ants and flies, were in remarkably good condition given their age. In total, the team identified more than 700 arthropods, a group that includes insects, crustaceans and arachnids.

The trapped insects provide a snapshot of life in India before it collided with mainland Asia. India was once attached to Africa, but according to scientists' calculations, it separated about 160 million years ago. Over the next 100 million years, India's land moved towards Asia by about 20 cm a year.

In India, the popular perception is that precious amber can heal joint problems and help purify the soul. Wearing it improves the nervous system and removes negativity from around us. Amber jewellery can be found in every city in India, and most of the time, the most suitable colours are recommended according to the wearer's name. It is also believed to have all these powers because of the long time it spent on Earth before reaching the wearer.