Specifications
Description
Locality: Bearpaw Formation, southern Alberta (St. Mary / Oldman River area), Canada
Era: Late Cretaceous
Geological Age: 70–75 mya
Ammolite is a trade name for the iridescent, mother-of-pearl-like layer of certain fossil ammonite shells from southern Alberta. Ammonites were extinct marine cephalopods with coiled, chambered shells. Commercial gem-quality ammolite comes only from two species, Placenticeras meeki and P. intercalare, found in certain layers of the Bearpaw Formation, about 70 to 75 million years old.
The shell layer is made mostly of aragonite, and its vivid colours come from interference of light in its thin layers, not from pigment. Ammolite entered the gem market in the 1960s, and in 2022 it was named Alberta's official gemstone.
Long before that, Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) peoples used selected pieces of broken ammonite fossils in healing and ceremonies, and gave them the name iniskim, or buffalo calling stones.
This one of a kind Ammolite fragment is a partial section of a larger ammonite shell, preserving a thick, curved portion with a rugged natural surface and scattered flashes of color. Rather than showing a full polished face, this piece keeps much of the original shell texture and breakage, with patches of green, red, orange, and gold visible across the surface. The irregular shape, exposed chamber structure, and layered shell margins make it read clearly as a fossil fragment rather than a cut gemstone piece.
Ammolite comes from the fossilized shells of ammonites that lived in the Western Interior Seaway during the Late Cretaceous. In southern Alberta, some shell layers were preserved as aragonite instead of being fully replaced during fossilization, which is what allows the material to show its well-known play of color. This specimen is a partial section of a larger shell, so it gives a more direct look at how Ammolite occurs in fossil form, with broken surfaces, chamber remnants, and natural fracture patterns still visible.
Because this is only part of the original ammonite, the specimen has a more geological, collector-focused look than a finished decorative Ammolite piece. The preserved shell curvature and scattered iridescent areas give it strong display value while still showing the fossil’s original structure and history.
People are often drawn to ammolite because it feels ancient but still visually alive. It is associated with transformation, endurance, and hidden beauty, especially when the strongest color appears only as the light moves across the surface. This specimen has that kind of quiet presence, with its fire tucked into the fossil rather than spread loudly across it.
Quantity: 1pc
With this product, you will get the actual stone in the photograph. We do what we can to buy good quality products and price them honestly. The rocks may differ from the photos, but we hope we do them justice.