Ambergris or 'Floating Gold' is a rare and valuable substance used for centuries by perfume makers as a 'fixative' to give scents a lasting odor on the skin. At first no-one knew what it was or where it came from, apart from that it was found in the sea. Theories included tree sap, underwater mushrooms or even tar from submerged volcano's. The fancy perfume ingredient was eventually traced back to the digestive system of the great Sperm Whale! When found washed up on beaches quality specimens have a value of around $10 000 per pound, about the same price as 18ct Gold !
Ambergris (grey amber) is formed when Sperm Whales eat squid, and their bony beaks cause a hard waxy growth to form in the whales intestines that gets bigger over time. The substance is produced in the stomach, helping to protect the whales insides from the sharp objects. Eventually causing a blockage in its guts, the whale will Vomit or sometimes Poop this lump out where it floats on the ocean reacting with the salt and sunlight. It oxidises and changes over many years even decades until reaching peak ripeness. It starts off black with a very 'fecal' smell but eventually turns to white which smells much sweeter.
Ambergris has had many uses throughout history. The ancient egyptians used it as incense where it was believed to have aphrodisiac effects, it was used in the middle ages as a headache cure, and during the Black Death people thought it would Protect them from the Plague. Synthetic versions are now available but many French perfume makers still prefer the real thing, as it adds a distinctive note to the scent that can't be replicated. It contains a compound called ambrein, an alcoholic terpene that is proven to stimulate sexual behaviour in rats.
Some enormous pieces of Ambergris have been found. Fishermen from Oman found an 80kg piece valued at over $3million. It it so valuable because it can only be produced by sperm whales and aged naturally for years in the ocean. Also it has been found that only 1% of sperm whales have it in their bodies so it is one of the rarest natural resources on the planet.
It can be found Worldwide so keep your eyes open for these alien looking lumps when your walking on the shore! Small pieces can be worth thousands but big lumps can make you a Millionaire! One of my mums friends from Wales in UK recently found a medium quality piece weighing 1kg that was sold at action for £14 000! It is often mistaken as Palm oil, ambergris has a distinctive deep fishy animal smell and a hard waxy texture. Its colour can vary depending on age but simple tests can be done at home so if in doubt then take it with you or you might kick yourself later!
-pictures sourced from google images, all writing is mine :)
