The facts
What dominican Amber actually is
Dominican Amber is classified as fossil resin of Hymenaea protera, Miocene, approx. 16-20 Ma, with the composition Fossilised terpenoid resin; essentially no succinic acid. It crystallises in the amorphous system.
Colour comes from organic chromophores; strong blue surface fluorescence in the blue variety, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.539-1.545. Specific gravity around 1.04-1.08. Cleavage: none; conchoidal fracture. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where dominican Amber comes from
Dominican Amber is produced at La Toca and Palo Alto mines, Cordillera Septentrional, Dominican Republic, La Cumbre, Santiago Province, Dominican Republic and Bayaguana and Sabana de la Mar (eastern field), Dominican Republic.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How dominican Amber is treated
Usually sold untreated because clarity is naturally good; heating and oil clarification are less common than for Baltic. No CITES. Richest source of high-quality insect inclusions, so inclusion fakery (drilled and glued-in modern insects, plastic castings) is a genuine market problem.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What dominican Amber is confused with
In the trade dominican Amber is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Copal from Colombia and Madagascar, Cast polyester with implanted insects or Baltic amber.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.539-1.545 and specific gravity 1.04-1.08 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What dominican Amber is used for
Demand for dominican Amber comes from jewellery, mineral collecting and decorative objects, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the carat, by the specimen or by the piece.
Durability and care
Dominican Amber is 2-2.5 on the Mohs scale, with none; conchoidal fracture cleavage.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What dominican Amber costs
As a guide, dominican Amber trades around $3-30 per gram clean; inclusion specimens $100 to many thousands per piece.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is dominican Amber treated, and how?
Usually sold untreated because clarity is naturally good; heating and oil clarification are less common than for Baltic. No CITES. Richest source of high-quality insect inclusions, so inclusion fakery (drilled and glued-in modern insects, plastic castings) is a genuine market problem.
Where does dominican Amber come from?
La Toca and Palo Alto mines, Cordillera Septentrional, Dominican Republic, La Cumbre, Santiago Province, Dominican Republic and Bayaguana and Sabana de la Mar (eastern field), Dominican Republic. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is dominican Amber hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 2-2.5 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does dominican Amber cost?
Indicatively $3-30 per gram clean; inclusion specimens $100 to many thousands per piece. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is dominican Amber confused with?
Most often Copal from Colombia and Madagascar, Cast polyester with implanted insects and Baltic amber. A refractive index of 1.539-1.545 and a specific gravity near 1.04-1.08 separate it quickly.
What is dominican Amber used for besides jewellery?
mineral collecting and decorative objects. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for dominican amber?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about dominican amber