What is the Difference between Ammolite and Ammonite?

Mother Nature gives us many presents, and one such gift is ammonite. Not a gemstone, but a fossil, ammonite is often confused with ammolite. What is the difference between ammonite and ammolite? After all, they both come from the same creature. Let’s compare these two and find out!

What is an Ammonite?

Ammonites were sea creatures that went extinct around 66 million years ago. Before that, they lived on Earth for about 330 million years. These creatures had sharp, beak-like jaws and tentacles, residing inside a spiral shell. As they died, layers of sediment buried them for thousands of years beneath the ocean.

Since these creatures lived in groups and extensively reproduced, they are one of the most commonly found fossils today.

This ammonite pendant is the fossil of this creature.

Ammonite Versus Ammolite

Ammonites were living organisms which are found as fossils. Ammolite is a gemstone that comes from this same creature.

The sparkling appearance of ammolite occurs during a unique fossil process. The coating of some ammonites changes due to chemical reactions, forming ammolite.

If a fossil exists inside a glossy shell, it is still an ammonite fossil. When there is no fossil, we call it ammolite. An ammonite must be buried deep under the sea without oxygen and heat to become an ammolite gem.

Ammolite is fragile. It forms fractures during fossilization. To be specific, ammolite is the trade name given to the nacreous layer of the shell of ammonite fossils. Jewelry use separates it from other fossil material.

This ring shows many common ammolite colors – red, orange, gold and green.

Where Can I Find Ammolite?

Ammonite occurs around the globe, but ammolite only comes from Alberta, Canada. It was first discovered in 1908. Despite its brilliant play-of-color, jewelers didn’t adopt this material until the early 1960s.

The jewel is known for its amazing red and green color, but specimens with blue and violet are rarer and highly valuable.  Only about five percent is ever suitable for jewelry. You can usually expect to pay a high price for its unique, glossy appearance. 

Ammolite came from ammonite traveling the course of ages, surviving the test of time to reach us. Infusing majestic iridescence with vivid color this unique gemstone is one-of-a-kind.

Discover the range of ammolite jewelry at Shop LC.

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Would you choose ammonite or ammolite? Tell us in the comments!