Because of it's hardness, brilliance and unique color, amber is regarded as the most beautiful and the most reliable of all resin substances. When dissolved, amber combines with oil, it then becomes a fatty and elastic material that does not decompose. Once it has hardened, it becomes a plastic that is neither brittle or friable. Its color does not change and it dries slowly. Varnishes made with amber, mixed with oils in every concentration or used pure as a varnish, have a reflecting effect on the colors, making them seem finer, more transparent, more brilliant, and more intense all at the same time.