Editors

5 Things to Know About … Ammolite

EditorsMar 01, 2017

5 Things to Know About … Ammolite

Senior Editor Brecken Branstrator details 5 interesting facts about the gemstone that is cut from the fossilized shells of a prehistoric creature.

20170301_Ammolite-shell.jpg
The gemstone ammolite is cut from the fossilized shells of extinct sea creatures called ammonites and is found in one very specific part of Canada. (Photo credit: Kumiko Flikr)

There’s a gemstone that’s garnering more attention that could speak to those who not only like gemstones with provenance but also with a pretty cool back story.

Ammolite, the iridescent gemstone that’s actually cut from the fossilized shells of a prehistoric creature, comes from only one source only.

The gems have a truly fascinating story; here are five things you should know about them.

1. Nomenclature is key. There’s a difference in the names when it comes to gem versus fossil.

According to the GIA’s Gems & Gemology, ammonites were squid-like creatures with sharp, beak-like jaws, a spiral shell and tentacles. They went extinct about 66 million years ago.

Ammolite, meanwhile, is the trade name for the iridescent, nacreous layer of the shell of fossilized ammonite. Commercial quantities of gem-quality ammolite are only known to come very a few specific types of ammonite shells, the G&G article said.

The GIA said that a number of things must happen for ammonite to become an ammolite gem. It has to be buried quickly, deprived of oxygen, protected from heat and excessive weight, and not be scavenged.


“Ammonoid,” paleoartist Heinrich Harder’s (1858-1935) reconstruction of ammonites as they would have appeared. (Image in public domain)
 
2. They only come from one place. The ammonite sea creatures were around long before there were seven continents. According to the GIA, there were only two large landmasses--Gondwana and Laurasia--on the Earth’s surface when they lived.

This helps explain how the water mass in which they lived (the Bearpaw Sea) during the Late Cretaceous period now is a rock formation that stretches through Montana, and Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada.

While fossilized ammonites can be found in several places around the world, a small area within the Bearpaw Formation, the name for the area leftover from where sediment settled on the bottom of sea, in Southern Alberta, Canada, is the only location where they have been turned into gemstones.

The International Gem Society estimates that only about 5 percent of the ammonites found in Alberta have suitable gem material on the shell surface.

3. They are fairly new to the gem and jewelry world. Despite their historic formation, ammolite is one of the few new natural gems to be introduced into the market in the past 70 years.

It only started to appear in jewelry in the 1960s and was recognized as an organic gemstone in 1981 by the
Coloured Stones Commission of the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO), according to the GIA.

And like tanzanite and sugilite--introduced to the trade in 1967 and 1980, respectively--ammolite occurs in large enough quantities to make it “economically significant,” Gems & Gemology said.


Ammolite earring and necklace set from Korite International

4. They vary in color and some colors are more valuable. Ammolite can come in any color in the rainbow but most are green and red. Blue and violet are rare and, typically, more valuable.

As is true for most gems, cost depends greatly on the color, which is graded on a scale from one to five. The brightness of the gem also is judged.

Ammolite also can show patterns of fractures on the surface, like stained glass. The GIA said that while fracture ammolite was common in the past, production today mostly includes sheet ammolite.

5. Demand is expected to increase. Korite International in Canada, the largest supplier of ammolite, said that it will quadruple the size of production within the next 12 months as more consumers across the world start to discover and buy the gemstone.

According to a local news story, the company currently is mining two acres a year but will expand to eight over the next year. Production is expected to increase from the current eight million carats per year, which already was increase over last year, to double within the next two years to meet demand across the globe.

The company even has targeted the United States as one of the markets where it believes ammolite could do well.
Brecken Branstratoris the senior editor, gemstones at National Jeweler, covering sourcing, pricing and other developments in the colored stone sector.

The Latest

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco Wedding, Jacob & Co. Watch
TrendsOct 03, 2025
Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco Tie the Knot Wearing Diamonds, White Metals

Gomez’s jewelry included Tiffany & Co. drop-style earrings while Blanco stacked diamonds from Jacob & Co. on his wrist.

HRD Antwerp CEO Paul De Wachter
GradingOct 03, 2025
Grading Lab HRD Antwerp Names New CEO

Diamond industry banking veteran Paul De Wachter will take on the role in January 2026.

Taylor Swift Kallati sapphire ring
TrendsOct 03, 2025
Piece of the Week: Kallati’s Pink Sapphire Ring

Taylor Swift flaunts an Elizabeth Taylor-esque gemstone in promo for her new album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”

gia-edu main image.png
Brought to you by
A Brilliant Future Is Here

Online education from GIA experts.

Boucheron Quatre Sand Collection
CollectionsOct 02, 2025
Boucheron Debuts Cuffs Crafted With 3D-Printed Sand

Its “Quantre Sand” capsule was made using a 3D sand printing technique borrowed from the automotive and aeronautics industries.

Weekly QuizOct 02, 2025
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
Stock image of crime scene tape
CrimeOct 02, 2025
$1M in Jewelry Stolen in Northern California Smash and Grab

Four individuals have been charged in the “takeover-style” robbery of Heller Jewelers last month, and additional charges are expected.

Neil Lane and Boucheron bow tie brooch
MajorsOct 02, 2025
Neil Lane Jewelry Exhibition Coming to Toledo Museum of Art

“Radiance and Reverie” will showcase more than 150 jewels from Lane’s personal collection by Tiffany & Co., Cartier, and more.

reDollar-fine-jewelry-department.jpg
Brought to you by
reDollar.com Is Rolling Out the Next Level Jewelry, Diamond & Watch Consignment Program

With their unmatched services and low fees, reDollar.com is challenging some big names in the online consignment world.

Just Jules opal necklace
TrendsOct 02, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: October’s Colorful Show

The month’s birthstones, tourmaline and opal, complement the palette of autumn.

Peter Smith National Jeweler columnist
ColumnistsOct 01, 2025
Peter Smith: Why Vendor Success Starts With Self-Reflection

Smith shares the importance of looking at your company with openness and honesty to identify opportunities you may be missing.

People shopping in a mall
SurveysOct 01, 2025
Consumer Confidence Hits 5-Month Low in September

Respondents were concerned about job availability and rising prices.

Gemfields rough emeralds
SourcingOct 01, 2025
Gemfields’ H1 Revenue Falls 47%

Its latest interim financials revealed a challenging first half due in part to production troubles at its mines.

Pandora executives Alexander Lacik and Berta de Pablos-Barbier
MajorsSep 30, 2025
Pandora CEO to Retire in 2026, Hand Reins to CMO

Alexander Lacik has led Pandora since 2019. Berta de Pablos-Barbier will succeed him, the first woman to head the company.

Gavel near stacks of books
CrimeSep 30, 2025
2 Suspects Charged in $300K Sleight-of-Hand Jewelry Store Scam

Two men allegedly used counterfeit bills to purchase luxury watches and jewelry from a North Carolina jeweler.

Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell John Hardy Lovestruck Collection
CollectionsSep 30, 2025
Billie Eilish, Finneas Partner with John Hardy

The “Lovestruck” collection, designed with the Academy and Grammy award-winning siblings, is the brand’s first lab-grown diamond offering.

Spinelli Kilcollin Market Highland Park
IndependentsSep 30, 2025
Spinelli Kilcollin Announces Residency in Dallas

The brand, celebrating its 15th anniversary, has popped up at Market, a luxury fashion destination in Highland Park Village.

Nina Pugliese Henne Jewelers
IndependentsSep 29, 2025
Nina Pugliese, Longtime Henne Jewelers Employee, Dies at 65

She was remembered as a creative and generous woman of faith, who also had a sweet tooth.

Kwait White and Yellow Gold Diamond Earrings
TrendsSep 29, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Ear Focus

Move over neck mess, the ear story is the way to make a layering statement today.

Mark Henry Leandra Medine Cohen
IndependentsSep 29, 2025
Mark Henry Jewelry to Debut in Canada

The New York-based brand is set to launch a limited-time offering for the holiday season at Holt Renfrew in Toronto.

Overnight volume 7 bridal catalog
MajorsSep 29, 2025
Overnight Releases New Bridal Catalog

The “Volume 7” bridal catalog features best-selling engagement rings, trending styles, and a new section highlighting anniversary bands.

Hand holding holiday shopping bags
SurveysSep 26, 2025
Online Shopping, Influencers to Drive Holiday Spending, Mastercard Says

Holiday sales growth is expected to slow as consumers grapple with inflation and tariff-related uncertainty.

Austin Shines Jewelry Award
Events & AwardsSep 26, 2025
Winners of Austin Jewelry Design Contest Announced

Jamie Turner Designs is among the winners of the local “Austin Shines” contest, hosted by Eliza Page, a jewelry store in Austin, Texas.

Kwit Square Signet Pinky Ring in Red and Azure
TrendsSep 26, 2025
Piece of the Week: Kwit Jewelry’s Square Signet Pinky Ring

The red and azure colorway is one of many fun enamel pairings offered, bringing whimsy to the classic style of a monogramed signet ring.

Jewelers of America Fly In
Policies & IssuesSep 25, 2025
JA CEO Provides Tariff Update Following Annual Fly-In

A trade deal with Switzerland seems probable, but reaching an agreement with India remains a challenge, David Bonaparte said.

Entrance to Jwaneng diamond mine in Botswana
SourcingSep 25, 2025
2 African Countries Aim to Take Stake in De Beers

Botswana’s president said his country wants a controlling share, while Angola envisions multiple countries holding minority stakes.

Kira Jewels Growing Rowing Machines
Lab-GrownSep 25, 2025
Kira Jewels Expands Lab-Grown Diamond Production

The manufacturer is adding 1,400 chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactors to its growing facility in India.

Alex Moss SoHo store
IndependentsSep 25, 2025
Alex Moss’ New Flagship Brings Bold Jewels to SoHo

The jeweler to the stars has worked with Drake, A$AP Rocky, Tyler the Creator, and other celebrities.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy