Amber History, Meaning, Healing Properties, Facts, Benefits, and Uses Amber, whose color ranges from yellow to deep orange, is a translucent gem that is made up of tree resins that have fossilized over time. The tree resins of which amber is made up of consist of oils, succinic acid, and hydrocarbons. Have you ever looked at the amber gemstone closely? You will often find plants or insects inside it. Scientists from all around the world study amber in order to understand the history of this Earth, since and before the ice age, through amber and the diverse items inside it (such as insects and plants that got trapped in amber a long time ago).