Oriented on making people closer

At the VIII International Amber Forum, AmberForum'25, held for the first time in Moscow and gathering a record number of participants from 30 countries, the Kaliningrad Amber Combine (part of Rostec) presented a groundbreaking development: Baltic amber with an emerald cut. This marks a global breakthrough, as the "sun stone" has been processed for the first time using a technology traditionally applied to precious emeralds, while retaining its natural allure and warm energy.

The Combine's specialists achieved the seemingly impossible, transforming fragile amber into a refined jewelry masterpiece with noble facets. This painstaking process involved carefully selecting only transparent stones measuring 23-32 mm, which then underwent preliminary autoclave treatment to remove moisture and bubbles.

Subsequently, 57 perfect facets were meticulously crafted by hand on each specimen. The enterprise's leading cutter likened this process to "carving a crystal palace from a piece of honey" due to the delicate and complex nature of working with the soft material.

The new cut has revealed unexpected properties of the sun stone: lemon hues now exhibit an inner fire, cherry-colored specimens have acquired a depth comparable to noble rubies, and classic cognac tones sparkle like antique gold. Maya Skvortsova, Deputy General Director for Jewelry Production, explained that the refraction of light on the stepped facets creates a "living" stone effect, yet unlike the cool brilliance of an emerald, the amber has maintained its warm radiance and velvety texture.

The presentation of this innovation was a landmark event. According to Rostec's press service, the selection of Moscow as the venue was deliberate, demonstrating that Russian amber processing technologies are now setting trends in global jewelry art.

The company's management has announced the next steps: patenting this revolutionary technology and entering the premium segment of the global market. Experts unanimously consider this development the most significant event in the amber industry over the past decade. "Russian gold," as Baltic amber is often called, has found a new life, shining with unexpected facets—both literally and figuratively.

ORIENT

Photo: rostec