Chen Xiaoxia is the petite and soft-spoken owner of No 2009 Out & Out, and while the shop sells clothing and purses, amber is the main attraction.

Out & Out offers both natural and dyed amber pieces as well

as individual amber beads for those looking to craft their own jewelry.

As an employee for an amber wholesaler, Chen was so bombarded with requests from friends for jewelry she finally decided to open up her own shop here in September of last year.

Naturally, amber comes in a wide spectrum of colors - from creams to deep greens - but can also be colored artificially.

Chen purchases her own amber and based on the unique qualities of a piece, determines whether it will eventually become a bracelet, necklace or earrings.

"If the piece is really special and there's just one, I make a necklace," she explained.

Chen told METRO that many of her clients are Buddhists, who want her to make necklaces with nine beads, symbolizing the nine consciousnesses in Buddhist belief.