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AMMOLITE JEWELRY FOR SALE
What Is Ammolite?
Ammolite is a fossilized ammonite shell that exhibits unique iridescence. These fossils are renowned for their color play and the variety of vibrant colors they flash. Ammonites are extinct cephalopods that looked similar to the extant nautilus but are more closely related to modern octopuses. As ammonite shells fossilized in what is now the Bearpaw Formation, the minerals aragonite and calcite formed, enhancing the iridescent qualities and thickening the ammolite shells to produce the color play that is stunning to behold.
An ammonite composed entirely of ammolite. Complete specimens of this quality are rare and prices run into the tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Where Does Ammolite Come From?
The majority of the ammolite on the market today comes from two mining operations with one of them claiming to produce 90% of the mineral. Gem-quality ammolite is mined almost exclusively from the Late Cretaceous (~70 million years) aged Bearpaw Formation in Southwestern Alberta, Canada, near the St. Mary River. According to their marketing materials, Korite, the world's largest ammolite mining corporation, digs for ammolite with an environmentally conscious mindset. The depth needed to find ammolite is not very deep, so when Korite is done exploring an area they will replace the dirt as it was excavated, layer by layer. They even go so far as to re-seed that patch of moved earth with native grass seed.
Open pit mining operations at one of Korite's ammolite mines in Alberta.
What Makes Ammolite So Rare?
Most of the ammolite in the world is pulled from only one locality: the Bearpaw Formation in Alberta, Canada. Because of this scarce availability and the flashiness of the mineral, the ammolite has become a prized collector’s piece. In addition to the lack of global availability, the process in which ammolite is exhumed is limited by a multitude of factors. When mining for ammolite, drilling and coring to search for this mineral is out of the question. This process is not broad enough to catch many pockets of ammolite and large-scale excavation is required to locate it. It is not environmentally or economically feasible to search like this, so mineralogists suspect that ammolite mines don’t have much more of a future. If the mining process wasn’t narrow enough, the overall amount of ammolite collected is rapidly declining, contributing to its uncertain future. While iridescent ammonite fossils have been found in many locations including Madagascar, Utah, and Russia the quality is far below what would be considered ammolite. Material from these locations lacks the vibrant color and shell thickness needed to produce suitable gemstones.
How To Pick The Right Ammolite
When it comes to purchasing ammolite, two major factors need to be considered: color and grade. The most important by far is color. Within the realm of color it is also important to consider how iridescent these colors are, how vibrant they are from different angles, and how seamlessly they blend from one color to the next. There are about six different colors that can show up on a piece of ammolite: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. While all six of these colors are flashy and attractive, blue and purple are rarer than all the others. Purple is the most uncommon color and therefore the most expensive. For example, an ammolite of the highest grade without purple will cost less than an ammolite of a lower grade with purple, simply because purple is so rare.
Along with the variety of colors, the grade of the piece is also important to consider. Grading evaluates color vibrancy, number of colors, and amount of host rock left behind. These factors place the ammolite into one of four grades. Only about 10% of the total amount of ammolite extracted each year falls within the two highest grades. Typically, ammolite within the top two grades are selected for jewelry making.
Size can also be a factor in pricing, as it is in any gemstone evaluation. This is especially true for ammolite where the richness of the deposit is scarce. Larger pieces, especially those with good variety and vibrancy of color, are harder to find. When you consider also that pieces that are shaped and inlaid in jewelry had to come from a significantly larger chunk, it becomes quite clear that size and price scale together.
Another factor to be mindful of is that ammolite is exclusively mined in southern Alberta, Canada. Not only is there one location that produces the material, but that supply is depleting and the time to buy is now! Because of this, ammolite is in a near constant state of monetary appreciation, so most collectors and aficionados consider an ammolite purchase to be an investment. The benefit of this type of investing is that your gain is quickly apparent, you can physically hold it in your hands, and, of course, it's gorgeous to look at.
It is important to not get so caught up in all of this evaluation that you lose sight of the most important factor: what looks best to you! We offer this information not only so that you can find the piece right for you, but more importantly, to provide you with the knowledge to feel good about your purchase.
Grading Ammolite
Traditionally, four grades of ammolite are recognized. These are, in ascending level of quality: Standard, A, AA, and AAA. These grades are based on clarity, color variety, and the vibrancy of those colors.
Standard grade ammolite will typically include only one or two colors with decent brightness and may show lines where the host rock is present. Specimens that bear the A grade will present upwards of two bright colors and will exhibit a few fine lines of the host rock. AA grade ammolite is brilliant and flashes three or more vivid colors that are truly spectacular. There may be minute traces of rock present in the cut, but it will either be very little or extremely slight.
The AAA grade is the cream of the crop, the pinnacle of quality and clarity. An ammolite of this grade will have no less than three colors and all of them will be radiantly vibrant when viewed from any angle. AA and AAA grade ammolite are extremely rare and their scarcity is what drives their prices up.
Varieties Of Ammolite Jewelry
The kinds of jewelry that can be made with ammolite are limited only by the imagination: there may even be an ammolite tiara floating around out there somewhere! That said, the majority of ammolite jewelry circulating on the market falls in the range that one would expect of any precious gem. FossilEra offers pendants and earrings crafted from high grade ammolite. It is our belief that these settings are best suited for displaying its iridescent, flashy qualities. Bracelets and rings are also popular pieces for ammolite, though the setting itself seems to be more of the focus than the gemstone. Brooches are far less common than pendants, rings, earrings, or bracelets, but is probably one of the best ways to display a premium cut of ammolite simply because the size range is so variable. Ammolite also makes excellent cuff links, a trend that is currently on the rise and is a dazzling addition to classic business attire or to set off any tux at a black-tie affair.
Caring For Ammolite Jewelry
Ammolite is an organic gemstone that shares many qualities with pearls. In that vein, you treat them the same. Ammolite's nacreous surface is quite delicate and may be damaged if placed in water for long periods of time or exposed to high heat. Absolutely do not use a sonic cleaner to refresh ammolite jewelry.
The best way to add that brand new sparkle to your jewelry is to delicately wipe the polished surface of the ammolite with a damp cloth. This process does not need to happen on any kind of regular schedule, only when the gemstone looks a little drab from accumulated grime. It is important to remember to dry off any excess moisture. Care doesn’t get much simpler than that!
History Of Ammolite Jewelry
The late 1960s saw the emergence of ammolite jewelry on the commercial market, about 50 years after it was initially described by the Canadian Geological Society. Even though many pieces were in circulation, it wasn’t until 1981 that it received international gemstone status by the Colored Stones Commission of The World Jewelry Confederation. After their approval, it was onwards and upwards for the popularity of ammolite jewelry.
Gemstone recognition went a long way for the two major corporations that mine ammolite. Its gemstone status opened up new revenue paths beyond selling collector-quality rough, ensuring high grade ammolite made its way into the hands of jewelers. Jewelry really is a great home for ammolite, much like other natural gemstones.