Ammolite ammonite Placenticeras costatum

Ammolite is a precious mineral of biogenic origin, found only in the province of Alberta, Canada. Fossilized nacre, which lined the inner cavities of the shells of ancient ammonite mollusks, is at its core. As a rule, nacre is destroyed, less often it is preserved in its natural form. Yet it was in Canada 70-80 million years ago that dozens of factors converged to turn what was already a beautiful material into a precious jewel. This is not an exaggeration; ammolite was officially recognized as a precious stone in 1981. The shells of ancient mollusks that turned ammolite in the process of petrification are a fantastic sight. They seem to glow from within. The colors change and flow into each other. The yellows change into greens. The reds turn into tones of dark purple, as if a flame is bursting out of the depths of the shell. Ammonite fragments are used for jewelry, but the most valuable are the whole ammonite shells of this precious stone. They are a reminder of ancient times, when dinosaurs reigned on earth, and of the wonders nature could create over millions of years.