Understanding the Value of an Ammolite Gem Before Purchase

The beautiful ammolite gemstones are opaque crystals found in fossil shells. They consist of mixtures of compounds that include chromium, iron, copper, and aluminum. The organic gems are extracted from the fossils of an extinct creature called ammonite, and their formation is a result of a biological process. These bright-colored stones are also famous by other names like Kokrite, Calcenite, and Aapoak.

Ammolite jewelry wholesalers have used this stone in making various pieces of jewelry. This colorful trinket is in huge demand across the world while most of its deposits exist in Alberta, Canada. It is why it is famously called the “Canadian Stone."

Difference between Ammolite and Ammonite

Many people use the terms ammolite and ammonite interchangeably. The prime difference between the two terms is one being the fossil source and the other being the actual gemstone. Ammonite refers to the fossils of extinct organisms, whereas ammolite refers to the gem formed from these fossils.

Ammonites were a group of marine mollusks that went extinct in the Cretaceous period, nearly 65 million years ago. They lived on the earth for almost 330 million years. Upon dying, they settled and sedimented on the floor of the ocean. After staying as deposits on ocean floors for millions of years, these creatures turned into fossils. They left shells all over the world, now extracted to make ammonite.

There are several species of ammonite fossils found across the world. The fossils of Baculites compressus, Placenticeras Intercalare, and Placenticeras Meeki can give high-quality Ammolites. This material is widely found in Alberta, Canada.

Even though ammonite fossils exist in large quantities in Alberta, only 5% of the fossils are quality gem material. This 5% forms the part of the shell surface. From this, jewel cutters usually can use only 20% part of the shell. A jewelry wholesaler uses this small amount of extracted crystals from their shells. Hence this makes it one of the rarest jewels available in the regalia market.

Physical Properties of Ammolite

These iridescent organic stones feature amazing colors and patterns, making every gem unique.

Colors

Ammolite gemstone exhibits a variety of attractive colors when subjected to unnatural or natural light. The color depends on the thickness of the extracted crystal. A thicker layer of the stone often exhibits green and red colors that are very enduring. On the other side, the thinner layer gives beautiful violet and blue colors. Thinner layers are softer and can get cracked easily, thus rare and expensive. It also showcases stunning color combinations like orange, yellow, indigo, crimson, and other rainbow shades.

Patterns

Ammolite gemstones can show great striking patterns that are the result of colors and healed fractures. Ammolite jewelry wholesalers make prominent use of these patterns. Some of the sought-after designs include:

• Stained Glass - This pattern looks similar to multi-colored glass panes.
• Dragon Skin - It resembles the skin of the mythological creature, thus its name.
• Cobblestone - It appears like streets in European towns with regular uneven rows.
• Paintbrush - It displays broad lines of color hence resembles a paintbrush.
• Lava - It has a red touch with a green background which looks like lava.
• Sunset - The stone resembles the sunset as it displays orange and red-hued landscapes.

Understanding the value of Ammolite: The 4 Cs

The value of Ammolite gemstone varies per carat. It highly depends on quality assuring factors like color, carat weight, cut, and clarity.

1. Color - The highest quality of the stone exhibits three bright colors predominantly present in the gem. Such types are rare, which makes them very expensive. The color selection of the gem depends on individual preferences. However, one must note a good-quality Ammolite gemstone features three dominant light colors.
2. Carat Weight - An Ammolite jewelry wholesaler usually sells these rainbow-hued trinkets in doublets or triplets as they are very gentle and have very little mass. Hence the size is above the carat weight. The natural stone with a bigger size will exhibit unique colors and will be more expensive.
3. Cut - This jewel is rated 3.5 to 4.5 on the MOHS hardness scale. Thus it is easy for jewelry wholesalers to cut this stone. Ammolite cabochons are preferred over faceted ones as the latter produces rough waste and increased cost.
4. Clarity - Smoothness of the surface determines the price of this stone. The price suffers when the stone has blemishes or cracks. Stones with smooth and clean surfaces with vibrant colors are more valuable and have a high cost.

Conclusion

Ammolite gemstone is one of the popular jewel among gemstone jewelry wholesalers. DWS Jewellery, situated at Jaipur, Rajasthan, is a leading Ammolite jewelry wholesaler that uses these iridescent crystals to make alluring silver ornaments. The company is known for producing high-quality Ammolite gemstone jewelry in silver and implements intricate jewelry-making processes. The Ammolite jewelry wholesalers also offer custom designs at affordable prices.