Swiss amber or "plaffeit"

"Plaffeit" is a rare type of amber originating from Switzerland. It is a fossil resin which was formed approximately 55 million years in areas that at that time were subtropical coasts covered by the sea, which caused plant remains and resin nodules to be washed into "flysch" deposits. One of the distribution areas, the "Gurnigelflysch", is located on the northern edge of the Prealps, between Lake Geneva and Lake Thun. The second area, the "Schlierenflysch", is located between Lake Thun and Lake Lucerne. The term "flysch" comes from a Swiss dialect and means "sliding" or "sliding."

In summary:

• Its name comes from the Swiss commune of Plaffeien (canton of Fribourg).
• geological environment: it is closely linked to "flysch" formations (such as the "Gurnigelflysch" and the "Schlierenflysch"), a type of soil composed of sandstones and clayey slates where resin pebbles were trapped after being washed by water.
• Unlike Baltic amber or Dominican amber, "plaffeit" is a very local geological find and rare in the international market.
• the "plaffeit" stands out for react very strikingly under ultraviolet light, emitting a marked fluorescence.
• Swiss amber is usually very brittle, has cracks and is fragile due to the folding of the Alps.