Are there different qualities or grades of amber?
Though there are many different attributes that affect the value of a piece of amber, there is no particular type of amber that is considered more valuable than other types, nor is there any official grading scale such as is common with other gems such as diamonds, emeralds, or rubies. Though one piece of amber might be of a higher quality and thus be more valuable than another piece for example, this can only be determined by considering all of the various aspects relating to color, opacity, and craftsmanship together. It must be noted too that determining the value of a piece of raw amber is much different than determining the value of a piece of refined, gem-quality amber. Whereas color, opacity, and the number and manner of inclusions are the main factors that determine a raw piece of ambers value; craftsmanship, style, and designer are key elements when determining the value of a refined piece of amber artwork.
