Ammolite is a rare and unusual substance that is a fossilized form of the mineral aragonite. Ammolite comes from the ammonite fossil. Ammonite fossils are ancient shells that inhabited a shallow sea that covered southern Alberta, Canada between 70 and 135 million years ago. It is a multi-color organic gemstone that comes in green, red, yellow, orange and more rarely in blue and purple. The best ammolite stone will have very bright colors. The brighter and more lively a stone, the better. Whether the stone is green, red, yellow, blue, orange or purple is of secondary importance to the brightness, strength and quality of the color. Blue and purple are the rarer of the colors but they are often very dark. Bright colors are highly sought after, whether the ammolite is found in single colors or mixed colors. Ammolite may be found in many beautiful patterns and color combinations, each piece is unique.
Ammonite shells are found all over the world, but southern Alberta is the only place in the world where the shells fossilize into the bright colors. Experts aren't sure why the fossilization process of the ammonites in southern Alberta varies from other ammonites found around the world. Only 5% of ammonites in southern Alberta have "ammolite" color, and only a small percentage of these are suitable to be made into jewellery.
The Blackfoot Nation of Canada called ammolite iniskim (I-niskim) or buffalo stone. Ammolite is also an important stone in Feng Shui, as practitioners believe the ammolite has absorbed cosmic energy for over 70 million years.
Ammolite has officially been announced as the gemstone of Alberta, as of 2022. Get in quick as these collector's pieces won't last long!