Is there any way to reduce the brittleness of amber that has been
out of the ground?
Amber, like pearls, needs oil. Body oil is the best, thru long
wear, but in a pinch, extra virgin olive oil works fine. I had a
co-worker steam an amber ring one time=85the poor stone looked like it
was about to crack. I gently smoothed oil into the stone with my
fingers, and left it soaking for an hour. When I wiped it off, it
looked better than it had originally. It really depends on the
level of damage, but try soaking that amber overnight in oil. I bet
it helps. This has also helped me to restore porous or overdyed
stones. It=92s not a guaranteed solution, but when you=92re desperate=
.
I=92ve restored turquoise and coral that had been oversteamed. Good
Luck!
Caroline