Ammolite Facts and Care Tips
Facts:
Ammolite comes from the shell of an ammonite which is a fossilized mollusk from the Mesozoic era.
The ammonite creature evolved around 416 million years ago and went extinct around 65 million years ago.
Ammonites are most closely related to living coleoids like octopuses, squid, or cuttlefish.
Ammolite is one of three gemstones in the world produced by living organisms, pearls and amber are the other two.
The colours are created by light reflecting off layers within the fossilized shell.
To achieve the colours in ammolite there needs to be heat and pressure acting on the shell for thousands of years.
Ammolite is known for its wide array of bright colours, this quality is unique to the fossils found in Alberta’s Bearpaw formation.
The rarest gem quality material will have never had any UV light exposure until the moment it’s been unearthed and stabilized.
Ammonite was named after the Egyptian god Amun due to its shells ram’s horn like appearance.
Care:
Ammolite is delicate, much like opal or emerald. To take care of your ammolite make sure to:
Avoid immersing in water.
Avoid spraying sunscreen, perfumes, or any solvents on it.
Avoid any jewellery cleaning solutions. Instead have it done professionally by an experienced jeweller.
Sources: