Introduction
Ammolite is an iridescent, multi-colored gemstone found mainly in Canada. Although ammolite appears opal-like, it is an organic gemstone that is the fossilized shell of ammonite, an extinct mollusk. Ammolite is one of the rarest gemstones because the current supply of ammolite is limited and it's estimated that only 5% of the world's ammolite is gem-grade and usable. In this blog, we will discuss the properties of ammolite, along with its healing attributes, and legends related to this gem which make it a great treasure.
What is Ammolite?
Ammolite is a biogenic gem (like pearl) which is considered a semi-precious gemstone. What is a biogenic gem? Well, it is a gem formed out of or by a living organism. Some of the other names of ammolite are aapoak and korite, the latter being a trade name from the biggest ammolite supplier. The name aapoak is used by a Blackfoot First Nation tribe in Southern Alberta, called the Kainai. Aapoak means “small, crawling stone”, which is named so because of the shell’s coiled snake-like shape.
Oftentimes, an ammolite shell is compared to a ram’s horn because of its shape. Perhaps, this is the reason why it is a zodiac stone for the Ram sign, Aries. Another reason why ammolite might be linked to Aries might be because the ancient Egyptians’s astrology connected Aries to the sun god Ammon, who was traditionally depicted with ram’s horns and a human body.
The Key Characteristics of Ammolite
Ammolite is primarily composed of calcium carbonate. The base of ammolite fossils is mostly aragonite, which is the same thing found in mother-of-pearl shells, and trace elements. Other minerals such as pyrite, silica, and calcite are also found in ammolite. One gem similar to ammolite is lumachelle, which is also known as the “fire marble.” It comes from fossilized clamshells and snails. It is often used as fake ammolite, and you can easily differentiate ammolite from lumachelle by checking the iridescence – lumachelle shows duller iridescence.
Speaking of iridescence, ammolite’s iridescence comes from the structure of aragonite, which is stacked layers of thin, tiny platelets. As soon as light hits the stone, it diffracts, splitting into different colors. The color we see is dependent on the thickness of each layer. Thicker layers are found to display red and green colors, while thinner layers are found to display blue and violet colors. On the Mohs Scale of hardness, ammolite ranks between 3.5 to 4.5, through which we can conclude that it is a soft gemstone.
Meaning of Ammolite
Did you know where ammolite’s name came from? Remember we talked about the sun god Ammon? Ancient Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder came across ammolite shells and named the fossil ammonia cornua, which meant “horns of Ammon.”
When it comes to the spiritual significance of Ammolite, it is extremely important for Canada’s Blackfoot National tribes, which are said to have used ammolite for centuries. These tribes call ammolite the “Buffalo Stone” or Iniskim, and this name has a popular legend behind it.
The legend says that during a tragic winter in the past, the buffalo herds departed and crops froze, which caused a spell of starvation among tribespeople. Then, one night, some auspicious spirits sent a woman of this tribe a dream with instructions to find a magic, colorful stone. The women looked for days and days and ultimately found ammolite in a cave.
With the help of the ammolite gem, the women did a ritual that would make the buffalos come back. She completed the ritual, and returned to camp, to see that the buffalo herds had come back. This was how the tribe was saved from starvation, and even today, the Blackfoot people use ammolite jewelry such as ammolite rings, ammolite earrings, ammolite pendants, and ammolite bracelets for good luck. They also wear ammolite jewelry while hunting buffalos and during ceremonies for healing purposes.
Healing Properties of Ammolite Jewelry
You must have heard that a gemstone’s color and its energies make it useful as a healing stone. In Feng Shui (which is the ancient art of balancing the flow of energy), ammolite has earned the nickname “Seven Color Prosperity Stone” because of its iridescence. Those who practice Feng Shui say that ammolite jewelry purifies the body and overall well-being. They even claim that ammolite jewelry’s benefits depend on its color, for instance, green is correlated with wealth, yellow is correlated with wisdom, and so on and so forth.
Other well-claimed benefits of ammolite include prevention of burnout and increased strength. Crystal healers also use ammolite jewelry in order to improve lung function, help fight degenerative diseases, and relieve childbirth pain. Emotionally, ammolite jewelry improves concentration, balances emotions, and increases the willpower of the individual. Other emotional properties of ammolite jewelry include settling depression, improving stability in one’s relationships, and soothing an anxious heart.
Gemstone Properties of Ammolite
Brilliance & Color
The best grade of ammolite which is used in making premium ammolite jewelry possesses a minimum of three colors from different color families. The main color families are blue (along with purple), red (along with yellow and orange), and green. Also, higher concentrations of certain rare hues increase the overall value of ammolite jewelry. Wondering about the rarest color of ammolite? Well, purple is the rarest. This means that the more purple in a piece of ammolite jewelry, the greater its value. Crimson and gold are also seen to have similar effects.
Lastly, the more brilliant or saturated in color the ammolite is, the higher it is in price. Generally, it is seen that ammolite with heavy inclusions is less brilliant.
Chromatic Shift
Chromatic shift basically means how many colors will ammolite appear in, and shift into when viewed from different angles. The best type of chromatic shift is the spectro-chromatic shift, in which you can see every color of the spectrum by turning the stone. Another chromatic shift is the dichromatic shift, which means that the ammolite only shifts from one color to another. Then, there is the monochromatic shift, in which you can see the colors of the same color family. Lastly, there is the little chromatic shift, which often means that you’ll get to see different shades of the same color only.
Rotational Range
Rotational range refers to how far you can turn ammolite stone and yet view its brilliant colors. The ammolite in the highest-valued ammolite jewelry shows vivid colors consistently throughout the 360-degree rotation. In the case of lower-quality specimens of ammolite, you may see vivid colors for 240 degrees or even 90 degrees before the colors appear to darken. It has been found that inclusions negatively affect the rotational range.
Cut
Most of the ammolite used in making ammolite jewelry is cut as cabochons, generally in free-form shapes. Since ammolite is a very delicate gemstone, most ammolite used in making jewelry has natural or synthetic backing, known as doublet. Doublets are basically the jewelers gluing a dark backing to the cabochons. “Naturals” are those ammolite stones that are cut freeform as cabochons with natural backing of host rock or shale.
Synthetic backings that are used by jewelers are generally dark-colored glass or onyx. Note that in most ammolite jewelry, all backings, natural or synthetic, would not be thicker than 1.5 mm. Sometimes, when an ammolite specimen is found to be too fragile, it is made into a triplet. Triplets are similar to doublets but with transparent, domed top layers of synthetic gemstone or glass.
Treatments
When you go out to purchase ammolite jewelry, you will find that most of the ammolite jewelry available in the market is treated to make it durable enough to wear. Rarely do you find an ammolite thick enough to be used without a backing, and this type of ammolite is definitely priced high. Most ammolite treatments are done to increase the stone’s durability, such as epoxy impregnation so as to stabilize the material. Epoxy impregnation ensures that ammolite doesn’t flake during cutting. Ammolite doublets and Ammolite triplets can also be called treated, and because they are doublets or triplets, they have increased durability.
Care and Maintenance of Ammolite Jewelry
You must be wondering about how to care for your ammolite jewelry, given its low ranking on the Mohs scale of hardness. Within the ammolite jewelry, some ammolite jewelry is more vulnerable to breakage than others. Consider an ammolite ring for example. Ammolite rings are more vulnerable to hits when compared with ammolite pendants and ammolite necklaces. So, if you are planning to buy an ammolite ring, be sure to purchase a triplet with a protective setting, like the bezel setting.
When it comes to cleaning your ammolite jewelry, clean ammolite jewelry by gently wiping it with a damp, lint-free cloth, or else, use lukewarm soapy water along with a soft toothbrush. Make sure that you protect your ammolite jewelry from hairsprays, perfumes, extreme heat, and acids so as to maintain ammolite’s color and prevent any damage to the stone.
Conclusion
The vibrant ammolite combines fascinating legends and colors to make up for an unparalleled jewel. Like any diamond, ammolite has to go through intense, prolonged pressure to get its gorgeous colors, which can remind us to stay resilient through the toughest of our struggles and bring out our best selves. We hope that you liked this article on ammolite jewelry. Are you looking to buy ammolite jewelry at wholesale prices? If yes, then you can browse the official website of Rananjay Exports.
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