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Ambergris specimen gallery

Use these photos to compare your find, then go through the 7 checks.

How much do these pieces weigh?

Every piece here is genuine ambergris from my own photos at Ambergris Canada, including weighed pieces from 0.66 kg to 11.46 kg. I'm Nabil Valiulla, and I've assessed 4,678 specimens since 2004. Wherever you found yours, compare its colour, surface and size here, then go through the 7 checks.

White ambergris on a kitchen scale reading 1124 g
White ambergris1.12 kg, chalky white with a brown patchView photo
Grey ambergris with concentric rings on a scale reading 11.463 kg
Grey ringed ambergris11.46 kg, covered in concentric ring patternsView photo
  • Nabil Valiulla holding the 11.46 kg ringed piece of ambergris up beside his face, blue sky behind
  • The 11.46 kg ringed ambergris piece on a digital scale on carpet
  • Concentric rings on top of the 11.46 kg ambergris piece, an earbud case beside it for scale
  • Close-up of the ring pattern on the 11.46 kg ambergris piece
Large dark ambergris on a scale reading 7736 g
Dark ambergrisA 7.74 kg dark boulder, waxy skinView photo
  • Close-up of the smooth brown inner face inside the black crust of the 7.74 kg dark ambergris piece
  • The 7.74 kg dark ambergris piece seen from above on a white stand, its brown face showing
  • The dark ambergris piece with a brown lobe resting on an outdoor railing
Light ambergris with a cut face showing round inclusions, a lighter for scale
Light ambergrisCut open to show its round inclusionsView photo
  • The cut face of the 9.51 kg ambergris slab on a bed, round inclusions across it, a blue lighter for scale
  • The cut face of the 9.51 kg ambergris slab from another angle, with a lighter
Close-up of a pale grey ambergris piece with dark swirl lines, held in hand
Pale grey ambergris4.68 kg, with dark swirl linesView photo
A broken piece of ambergris in hand, showing its layered tan inside
Tan ambergrisBroken open to show its layersView photo
Aged ambergris slab on a scale reading 9509 g
Aged ambergrisA 9.51 kg slab packed with inclusionsView photo
  • The 9.51 kg ambergris slab on a digital scale, seen from above
The smooth brown inner face of the 7.74 kg dark piece of ambergris
Brown ambergrisThe smooth brown core of the boulderView photo
A broken dark-skinned ambergris piece and its fragments on a scale reading 0.663
Dark-skinned ambergris0.66 kg, a broken piece and fragmentsView photo
Grey ambergris slab seen from the side, a lighter on top for scale
Grey ambergrisSide view, with a lighter for scaleView photo
  • Side view of the 9.51 kg ambergris slab: the cut face on top, a white crackled crust below
An egg-shaped pale grey ambergris piece on a scale reading 4.682
Swirled ambergrisEgg-shaped, 4.68 kg on the scaleView photo
  • The egg-shaped 4.68 kg swirled ambergris piece in hand over a white cloth, small pieces behind

How big is a piece in the hand?

Nabil Valiulla holding a large grey ambergris boulder in both hands
Large grey ambergrisHeld in both hands, for sizeView photo
  • The very large grey ambergris piece with green mottling on a wooden table
  • The cracked flat end of the very large grey ambergris piece on a wooden table
  • The very large grey and green ambergris piece standing on a blue digital scale
  • The very large grey and green ambergris piece on its side on a digital scale
  • Another side of the very large grey and green ambergris piece on a digital scale
  • The very large green-mottled ambergris piece with a split flap, on a deck rail under blue sky
  • The broken end of the very large ambergris piece on a deck rail
  • The cracked flat end of the very large ambergris piece on a deck rail, a hand beside it for scale
A grey-white ambergris piece held in hand
Grey-white ambergrisA mottled piece, held in handView photo
Five small pieces of white ambergris in an open palm
Chalk-white ambergrisFive small pieces in an open palmView photo
  • A closer view of the five small chalk-white ambergris pieces in an open palm
A tub of ambergris flakes and pieces held in hand
Ambergris flakesA tub of flakes and small piecesView photo
  • A tub of olive-tan ambergris flakes and powder held in hand
  • The tub of ambergris flakes from another angle, held in hand
A round white-crusted ambergris piece with two small holes, in hand
White-crusted ambergrisRound, with two small holesView photo
  • The round white-crusted ambergris piece on a small silver pocket scale on a deck rail
A large mottled grey-white ambergris piece in hand
Mottled grey ambergrisEgg-shaped, grey and white mottlingView photo
  • A closer view of the mottled grey and white surface of the egg-shaped ambergris piece
  • One end of the mottled grey ambergris piece, with a round depression, on carpet
A dark grey ambergris piece with a sandy tan inside, in hand
Dark grey ambergrisBroken open, with a sandy insideView photo
A rounded pale ambergris piece with tan crackle, in hand
Pale crackled ambergrisRounded, with a tan crackled crustView photo
A pale speckled ambergris piece in hand
Pale speckled ambergrisPale, with fine dark specklesView photo
  • The elongated pale speckled ambergris piece held in hand while a cat looks on
A flaky, layered ambergris fragment in hand
Flaky layered ambergrisA fragment showing its thin layersView photo
A large white ambergris piece with an orange patch, in hand over grass
Orange-patched ambergrisLarge and white, with an orange patchView photo
  • The large white ambergris piece on a blue digital scale, its orange patch facing the camera
  • The other side of the large white ambergris piece on a blue digital scale
  • The split side of the large white ambergris piece, showing a grey seam, held over grass
  • Another face of the large white ambergris piece, held in hand over sunny grass
A small white ambergris piece with brown speckles, in hand
Speckled white ambergrisSmall, white with brown specklesView photo
Nabil Valiulla holding a large ringed piece of ambergris
Large ringed ambergris11.46 kg, held by me on the coastView photo
A white ambergris piece lying on dark volcanic shore rock
White ambergris on the shoreOn coastal rock, beside a squid beakView photo
  • A grey-white ambergris piece on dark volcanic rock, a squid beak set in its surface
  • The broken side of the grey-white ambergris piece on volcanic rock, white and black crust over a brown inside
An elongated ambergris piece with a crackled white crust flecked with brown, held in hand over grass
White and brown ambergrisElongated, with a crackled white crustView photo
A pale cream ambergris piece held up in hand against a dark wooden fence
Light ambergrisPale and lumpy, held against a fenceView photo
  • The light ambergris piece held up to show its smooth brown broken face
  • Close-up of the brown inner face of the light ambergris piece, with fine scratch lines
  • The light ambergris piece in hand beside a dark brown piece on a paper towel
Two elongated pale ambergris pieces held in one hand at a high-rise window
A pair of pale ambergris piecesHeld up at a high windowView photo
  • The pair of elongated pale ambergris pieces held up at a high-rise window
  • An end view of the pair of pale ambergris pieces at a high-rise window
  • The pair of pale ambergris pieces held together in one hand indoors
A small round grey-brown ambergris piece held between fingers over a lawn
Small grey-brown ambergrisRound, held over a lawnView photo
A pinkish-white speckled ambergris piece held upright in one hand over grass
Pinkish-white ambergrisSpeckled like a stone, held over grassView photo
A hand-sized ambergris piece with a white crackled crust over brown, held by a table lamp
Ambergris with a white crackled crustOver brown, held by a lampView photo
  • The other side of the ambergris piece, its white crackled crust over a porous brown break
  • Close-up of the white crackle pattern on the ambergris piece, held in hand
A chunky ambergris piece with a porous dark brown top and white crusted sides, held in hand
Brown-topped ambergrisA porous top over white crustView photo
Two thin, curved tan ambergris fragments resting in an open palm
Thin tan ambergris fragmentsCurved like broken shellView photo
An angular grey-white ambergris piece held up in front of coral-red flowers
Angular grey-white ambergrisHeld up in front of coral-red flowersView photo
  • The angular grey-white ambergris piece held in hand indoors, wood floor below
  • The other side of the angular grey-white ambergris piece, held in hand
A small rounded purplish-grey ambergris piece held over a sunlit lawn
Small purplish-grey ambergrisRounded, held in sunlightView photo
  • The other side of the small purplish-grey ambergris piece, held over a sunlit lawn
  • The smooth purplish-grey face of the small ambergris piece, held in hand
A palm-length grey and tan ambergris piece with thin curving layers, held upright over grass
Layered grey and tan ambergrisThin layers along one edgeView photo
A flat dark blue-grey ambergris slab with pale streaks, held up in sunlight
Dark blue-grey ambergris slabFlat, with pale streaksView photo
Two tan ambergris pieces with red-brown flecks, one in hand and one on a deck rail
Two tan ambergris piecesRed-brown flecks on broken facesView photo
An angular tan and brown ambergris chunk with dark flecks, held up against a dark fence
Tan layered ambergrisAn angular chunk with dark flecksView photo

On the table and the scale

A rounded dark brown ambergris piece with tan mottling, resting on a blue cloth
Dark brown ambergrisRounded, with tan mottling and a hollowView photo
  • The rounded dark brown ambergris piece from the front, slightly closer, on a blue cloth
  • The dark brown ambergris piece from the side, a triangular profile with a small hole at the top
  • The back of the dark brown ambergris piece, with a ridge and a hole near the top
  • Close-up of a cracked face on the dark brown ambergris piece, with a swirl and a crevice
  • Tight close-up of a crevice in the dark brown ambergris piece, showing a lumpy tan inner surface
  • Close-up of the edge of the dark brown ambergris piece, with fine cracks and swirl lines
  • Close-up of a concentric swirl pattern on the dark brown ambergris piece
  • The top of the dark brown ambergris piece, with a small round hole
  • A very close view of the top surface and hole of the dark brown ambergris piece
A large grey ambergris piece with a white crackled crust on a kitchen table
Grey ambergris with a crackled crustLarge, with a white crazed surfaceView photo
A round ambergris piece with a pale cracked face and a black rim, in a paper bag
Black-rimmed ambergrisA pale cracked face, black edgeView photo
A rounded cream and pale yellow ambergris piece on a blue digital scale
Cream ambergrisRounded, on a blue digital scaleView photo
  • The other side of the cream ambergris piece on a blue digital scale
A wedge of ambergris with a white crust, black patches and a tan broken face, on a cloth bag
White-crusted ambergris wedgeBlack patches and a tan breakView photo
A large pale cream ambergris piece with green patches on a blue digital scale
Pale green-cream ambergrisLarge and smooth, on a scaleView photo
  • The pale green-cream ambergris piece on a digital scale, a crackled area facing the camera
A small rounded pale ambergris piece with brown patches on a black pocket scale
Small pale ambergrisRounded, with brown and violet tonesView photo
An elongated pale grey-white ambergris piece with swirl marks across a blue digital scale
Elongated pale ambergrisSwirl marks along a tapering bodyView photo
A large pale grey ambergris piece with black blotches on a black table, an earbud case beside it
Grey ambergris with black blotchesLarge, an earbud case for sizeView photo
  • The long side of the large pale grey ambergris piece, its surface pitted with black blotches
  • A closer view of the side of the large pale grey ambergris piece in warm light
A tall black and white mottled ambergris piece standing on a white digital scale
Tall mottled ambergrisBlack and white, standing uprightView photo
  • The other side of the tall mottled ambergris piece on a scale, a red sofa behind
A heart-shaped yellow and black ambergris piece on a red plastic sheet
Yellow and black ambergrisA heart shape on red plasticView photo
Close-up of a pale crackled ambergris crust with dark brown and orange-amber veins
Amber-veined ambergrisClose up on a crackled crust

Lots and groups

Several pieces photographed together, the way finds often arrive.

About seventeen dark brown ambergris chunks laid out on a white towel beside a small scale
Dark ambergris chunksAbout seventeen pieces on a towelView photo
Eleven ambergris pieces from dark brown to white, laid out on a tan cloth
A sorted lot of ambergrisEleven pieces, dark to whiteView photo
  • Three cream and brown ambergris pieces from the sorted lot on a blue digital scale
  • Five pale ambergris pieces from the sorted lot on a blue digital scale
  • Four ambergris pieces from the sorted lot on a blue digital scale
  • A hand sorting a mixed pile of dark and pale ambergris chunks on a counter
  • A mixed pile of ambergris pieces from the sorted lot on a blue digital scale
  • Another mixed pile of ambergris pieces from the sorted lot on a digital scale
  • Smaller ambergris fragments from the sorted lot heaped on a blue digital scale
  • A steel tray heaped with dark ambergris chunks, more pieces on paper beside it
A large blue-grey ambergris piece, a second large piece and eight small ones on a round black table, a lighter for scale
Blue-grey ambergris lotTwo large pieces and eight smallView photo
  • The blue-grey ambergris lot piled on a round black table over an orange rug
  • A closer view of the large pieces in the blue-grey ambergris lot
  • Close-up of two large pieces from the blue-grey ambergris lot
  • Two big blue-grey ambergris pieces resting above smaller ones
  • The blue-grey ambergris lot seen from overhead on a round black table
A cluster of pale cream and tan ambergris pieces piled on a black kitchen scale
Pale ambergris clusterSeveral pieces on a black scaleView photo
Four large grey-white porous ambergris pieces stacked on a wooden table outdoors
Four porous ambergris piecesGrey and white, stacked outdoorsView photo
  • A closer view of the four porous grey-white ambergris pieces stacked outdoors
Six small rounded ambergris pieces from white to brown on a beige towel
Six small ambergris piecesPebble-sized, white to brownView photo
About twenty-five assorted ambergris pieces from white to dark brown on a white towel
Assorted ambergrisAbout 25 pieces on a white towelView photo

From my videos

Frames from my films and videos, each with its own page.

A broken piece of ambergris in hand with dark squid beaks embedded in its pale interior
Ambergris with squid beaksDark beaks set in a broken faceView photo
  • The ambergris piece with squid beaks held in the palm, its darker side up
A hand holding a small pale piece of ambergris over calm blue sea water
Ambergris over the seaA small find held over waterView photo
Nabil Valiulla crouched on a pebble beach, holding a small pale piece of ambergris in both hands
Ambergris on the shoreTurned over in both handsView photo
A rounded white mottled ambergris piece with olive patches, turned in two hands
White mottled ambergrisCrackled white with olive patchesView photo
  • A white ambergris piece with dark brown patches turned in two hands, from the understanding ambergris video
A long dark grey ambergris piece densely speckled with white, held in one hand
Long speckled ambergrisDark grey with white flecksView photo
A small round cream ambergris piece speckled with brown and olive, held between the fingertips of both hands
Small round speckled ambergrisCream with brown and olive flecksView photo

Does yours look like these?

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See what I find, as I find it

I post new pieces, field trips and identification tips on Instagram.

Nabil Valiulla, founder of Ambergris Canada
Nabil Valiulla@gris.whisperer

Most of what washes up is driftwood and stone. I post the pieces that aren't, and how I tell them apart.

Nabil Valiulla searching among shore boulders at low tide
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