PRICES FOR RAW AMBER ARE GIVEN IN US DOLLARS PER 1 KILOGRAM, EXCLUDING VALUE ADDED TAX

Prices for raw amber are given in US dollars per 1 kilogram, excluding VAT. According to the State Gemological Center of Ukraine price guide ДКДК ISSN 2079-1186 for September 2022

Group 1 (high). Massive texture; content of organic and inorganic inclusions do not exceed 5% (minor surface and point internal inclusions); no through cracks; single small surface cracks are acceptable; mostly massive, isometric or close to isometric (round, etc.) shape, a massive nonisometric shape is acceptable; the surface is mostly smooth, small surface defects are acceptable; typical color for natural amber; transparency from transparent to opaque; unacceptable crumbly oxidation crust; layering and foamy texture interlayers are unacceptable.

Group 2 (good). Massive texture; content of organic and inorganic inclusions do not exceed 10 % (separate surface and internal inclusions); no through cracks; single surface cracks are acceptable; massive or flattened shape with а plate thickness of more than 7 mm; mostly smooth surface with minor surface unevenness; typical color for natural amber; transparency from transparent to opaque; unacceptable crumbly oxidation crust; layering and foamy texture interlayers are unacceptable.

Group 3 (fair). Massive texture; content of organic and inorganic inclusions do not exceed 30 %; no through cracks; surface and single internal cracks are acceptable, single small holes on the periphery of the sample; massive or flattened shape with uneven surface, embossed surface with deepenings is acceptable; typical color for natural amber; transparency from transparent to opaque; single slightly layered and foamy texture interlayers are acceptable as well as slight crumbly oxidation crust; minor mechanical damage that appeared during extraction or transportation is acceptable.

Group 4 (low). Massive texture; content of organic and inorganic inclusions do not exceed 50 %; through cracks are acceptable; numerous surface and internal cracks, holes are acceptable; massive or fattened shape with embossed surface with significant deepenings, that negatively influence on the consumer properties of the sample; typical color for natural amber; transparency from transparent to opaque; layers of contaminated, foamy and brittle amber (up to 50 %), surface layering and drip shapes along the periphery of the samples (up to 50 %), crumbly oxidation crust are acceptable.

Fragile amber, low density amber, with fragile "sugar-like" structure and/or completely oxidized, and/or with throughout and internal cracks (more than 50 % of the total volume), which cannot be classified by the given quality groups due to loss of consumer quality is rated by the value of foamy amber.

The estimated value of amber weighing more than 500 g is established collegially based on the results of a detailed examination at the State Gemological Center of Ukraine.