Lot 101
North America, Canada, Alberta, Bearpaw formation, late Cretaceous, ca. 71 million years ago. A beautiful ammonite fossil that has formed a iridescence across the surface, a material known as ammolite which is also a precious gemstone! This ammolite boasts a fiery opal-like hue, the brilliant red and yellow shifts to green under lighting. Ammolite is an exceedingly rare and one of the few "biogenic" or organic gemstones as it only develops from fossilized ammonite shells in the Bearpaw Formation in Alberta, Canada - along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. This fossil was prepared by the company Canada Fossils Ltd, the sister company to Korite, the largest commercial producer of natural ammolite gemstones and jewelry. Together, they provide ammonites and other amazing finds to important institutions, including an ammonite on display in the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Size: 6.5" Diameter x 1.5" W (16.5 cm x 3.8 cm); 4" H (10.2 cm) on included custom stand.
Ammolite is a rare, iridescent, gem-quality material cut from the fossilized shells of extinct sea creatures known as ammonites. Found only in the Bearpaw Formation in Alberta, Canada - along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains - this organic gemstone has a dazzling range of colors and patterns and is highly desired for freeform natural cabochons and assembled jewelry pieces.
According to the International Gem Society (IGS) statement on the difference between Ammolite and Ammonite: "You may find the terms ammolite and ammonite sometimes used interchangeably. However, ammonite, strictly speaking, refers to the fossil shells of ammonites, whether gem-quality or not. Ammolite refers to the gem-quality material made from fossils of particular species of ammonites." Also, according to IGS, "Ammonites were marine mollusks that became extinct around 65 million years ago. There were many species of ammonites, and their fossils have been found across the globe. The fossils of Placenticeras meeki, Placenticeras intercalare, and Baculites compressus can yield gem-quality ammolite. To date, this material has been found only in Alberta, Canada."
Provenance: private Berthoud, Colorado, USA collection
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#184668
- Condition: Professionally prepared with a clear fixative on surface to protect the shell. Stable fissures and chips from fossilization process. Standard to A grade coloration.
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