Size of the drilled Ammolite 6.7 x 3.3cm
Drill hole: 3.5mm
Location: St. Mary River near Lethbridge in southwestern Alberta (Canada).
Occurrence: Cretaceous
Ammolite is the trade name for the gem quality of a colorful iridescent fossil shell of two ammonites: Placenticeras meeki and Placenticeras intercalare. The gemstone consists of the finest aragonite platelets, which produce the bright colors through interference of light.
The colorful, iridescent Ammolite awakens the desire to discover secrets and to take a closer look at the things behind the things. The joy of the beautiful things in life and the splendor of diversity is strengthened. Ammolite stabilizes developments that are too fast and too restless and leads to more consistency without becoming inflexible.
The first users of Ammolite were the people of the Blackfoot First Nation (Canadian aborigines). They had known Ammolite for centuries under the name Iniskim ("buffalo stone"). According to legend, Ammolites were worn as talismans when hunting. In 2004, Ammolite became the official gemstone of the province of Alberta and a "National Treasure".
To protect the delicate surface, it was sealed with acrylic.