Collection: Ammolite

Ammolite - Gemstone Ammonite from Southern Alberta CANADA.  

WHAT IS AMMOLITE?  In 1981, Alberta Ammolite was officially designated a precious gemstone by CIBJO (World governing body for precious stone categorization).  Ammolite is the last of the gemstones accepted in the past 300 years and amongst the rarest. Ammolite has been naturally created over the past 71 Million years. It is formed from an ammonite fossil preserved through a combination of immense tectonic pressure, mineralization from the soil, heat and of course time. The result is a natural gemstone layer that shows a full kaleidoscope of colors from vibrant purples, blues, greens to fiery reds. Colors like pink, violet, gold and crimson are rare. Truly a work of art, no two pieces are ever the same. You have the ability to own something entirely unique that comes from one place in the world, the banks and cliffs along the St. Mary River in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies in Southern Alberta, Canada.  

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING AMMOLITE? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Ammolite fossils can have all the colors of the rainbow. Red and green is the most common.  Most gemstones color comes from light absorption like the way a diamond sparkles when light comes in through the table. The color of Ammolite however is achieved from light interference as it rebounds through the stacked layers of aragonite.

IRIDESCENCE AND OCULAR DYNAMICS The tremendous iridescence of Ammolite is due to the microstructure of the numerous aragonite layers. In most gems, the colors we see come from light absorption, whereas in Ammolite, the iridescent colours come from light interference as it rebounds through the numerous stacked layers of aragonite. Ammolite has been compared to the most expensive Black Opals. Ocular Dynamics is the visual experiences achieved when rotating and moving the Ammolite around a central light source to expose the gemstone's natural beauty.

Many feng shui experts believe the stone has absorbed a substantial amount of the earth’s and the universe’s positive cosmic energy, an energy also known as qi (ch-ee), that can be found in the multitude of colors in ammonite. One form of qi is light energy. Our brain interprets light energy as color, so these colours are specific wavelengths of energy that can be used to balance our lives.

Bearpaw Alberta Ammolite (BAA) has been surface mined by members of the Blood (Kainai) Tribe. Ammolite as the “Buffalo Stone”, others refer to Ammolite as the “Energy Stone” or “Spirit Stone”. Ammolite comes from the fossilization of Ammonite Cephalopods, which are found around the world yet, only in the Bearpaw Formation of Southern Alberta did they mineralize and become the rare and colourful gemstone.  Most ammolite bearing fossils do not have gem. Of those with gem, less than 5% of the gem is suitable for jewelry. The BAA team has more than 100 years experience mining ammolite while other members of the team have more than 100 years experience finishing and preserving ammolite gems and fossils.

The BAA team takes pride in examining each ammolite fossil found to determine its use besides being cut up for gem for jewelry. Some fossils become unique one of a kind art. Others become suiseki stones. If you want specific ammolite ask us. If we don’t have it, we will find it.