Lot 87B
Rare Ammolite Fossil - Iridescent Ammonite in Matrix
Rare Ammolite Fossil - Iridescent Ammonite in Matrix
Starting Bid: $1,400
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North America, Canada, Alberta, Bearpaw Formation, Late Cretaceous, ca. 71 million years ago. A spectacular ammonite fossil of the genus Placenticeras, preserved in a gray stone matrix and representing a near-complete shell with surrounding fragments of other pieces. The surface exhibits the exceptional gemstone material known as ammolite, a rare biogenic gem formed exclusively from fossilized ammonite shells found in the Bearpaw Formation. Its iridescence dazzles with a vivid spectrum of fiery hues - radiant reds, glowing golds, and shifting greens - that change under the light. Unlike opal, ammolite derives its brilliance from the layered structure of ancient aragonite, producing a play of color unique to these fossils. This specimen is both scientifically significant and visually stunning, uniting the prehistoric remains of an ancient marine creature with one of the rarest gemstones on Earth. Size of matrix: 11.75" L x 9.5" W (29.8 cm x 24.1 cm); shell: 6.5" L x 5.5" W (16.5 cm x 14 cm)
Ammolite is an exceptionally rare, iridescent, gem-quality material derived from the fossilized shells of extinct marine mollusks known as ammonites. Found exclusively in the Bearpaw Formation of Alberta, Canada - along the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rockies - this organic gemstone displays a brilliant array of shifting colors and intricate patterns that make it highly prized for freeform cabochons, inlay, and fine jewelry. According to the International Gem Society (IGS), the terms "ammolite" and "ammonite" are often mistakenly interchanged. Ammonite refers broadly to the fossilized shells of these prehistoric cephalopods, which thrived in the world's oceans for over 300 million years before their extinction around 65 million years ago. Ammolite, however, designates only the rare gem-quality material formed under very specific geological conditions within the Bearpaw Formation. True ammolite is produced almost exclusively from the shells of Placenticeras meeki, Placenticeras intercalare, and occasionally Baculites compressus. Over tens of millions of years, the nacreous layers of these shells underwent mineralization, preserving their microscopic aragonite structure responsible for the remarkable play of color. Unlike opal, whose fire comes from silica spheres, ammolite's iridescence is biogenic, created by the thin, stacked layers of aragonite that refract light into vivid reds, greens, yellows, and rarer blues and violets. Because of its extreme rarity and fragile formation environment, ammolite is considered one of the rarest gemstones in the world - far scarcer than diamond or emerald. Collectors and gem enthusiasts alike prize it not only for its aesthetic beauty but also for its unique origin as both a fossil and a gemstone, bridging the realms of natural history, geology, and fine art.
Provenance: private Hagar collection, Wildwood, Missouri, USA
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#197526
- Condition: Professionally excavated and prepared. Shale stone matrix is coated in a black protective fixative to prevent losses. Natural hairline fissures across the ammolite as expected with fossilization.
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