About Ammolite
What is Ammolite?
Ammolite is the coloured gemstone that comes from Canadian ammonites with a distinct, and vibrant rainbow colour. Globally, these are only found along the St. Mary River, south of Lethbridge, in Western Canada. This stunning iridescent gem, received its official gemstone status by the World Jewelry Confederation in 1981 and the official Alberta Gemstone since March 31, 2022
Ammonite vs Ammolite
Ammonites are the fossils of squid-like marine mollusks with primarily spiral-shaped shells which went extinct around 65 million years ago.
Ammolite is the iridescent inner layers found inside the fossilized ammonites shells which are typically composed of aragonite.
Where is Ammolite found?
Although there are over 30000 types of ammonites found world wide, only the ammonites found along the Bearpaw Formation in southern Alberta, Canada reaps gem-quality material. Southern Alberta is the only place in the world where ammolite is commercially mined.
What Makes Ammolite Valuable?
Aside from how no two pieces are alike, the limited areal extent where ammolite can be found is the primary reason why Ammolite is so rare. Another critical factor is how the supply of Ammolite is now rapidly depleting with an estimated 6-8 years left of commercial mining left. This has resulted in a steady 30% growth in value YoY.
K Zone vs. Blue Zone
The K Zone and Blue Zone are two primary zones where ammolite is mined.
The K Zone is found 15-30 meters below the surface and yields lower amounts of AA ammolite. This ammolite is usually more crushed, leading to unique patterns such as Stained Glass or Dragon Skin.
The Blue Zone is roughly 20-65 meters lower and produces higher-quality "sheet" material which contains few to no fractures.
How is Ammolite Graded?
Like all gemstones, Ammolite is graded for quality. The highest grade of ammolite by this system is AA, followed by A+, A and A-.
To achieve the AA grade status, the ammolite gemstone must have three colors (R, G, B) and have vibrant 360 degree chromatic shift.
Different Patterns of Ammolite
There are dozens of patterns that can be found, here are just a few:
Dragonskin - The crushed matrix created Interwoven lines resembling dragon scales
Cobblestone - three-dimensional, raised texture
Ribbon Pattern - sweeping bands of colour
Floral - Petals or bloom patterns
Stain Glass - Large ammolite panels mimic that of a stained glass window
Pinfire - Red and yellow specs
Paintbrush - Appears to have brush stokes running through