Origin: Bearpaw Formation, Alberta, Canada
Age: Late Cretaceous (~70 million years)
This remarkable ammonite displays extensive natural ammolite, a rare gemstone material formed through the fossilisation of ancient ammonite shells. Over millions of years, the original nacre layers of the shell were preserved under specific geological conditions, creating the vibrant iridescent colours seen today. Only a small proportion of ammonite fossils retain this structure well enough to produce gem-quality colour, and specimens showing broad, continuous fields of iridescence are particularly uncommon.
This example exhibits a striking spectrum across the shell, with rare electric blues along the venter transitioning into vibrant reds, oranges, golds, and greens across the whorl. The pronounced ribbing enhances the natural mosaic patterning, causing the colours to shift dramatically as light moves across the surface.
Large ammonites with strong, multi-colour ammolite coverage are highly sought after, and pieces of this scale are rarely encountered. Mounted as a sculptural display, the fossil captures both the beauty of a gemstone and the deep time of an ancient ocean ecosystem.
Weight: 7.5 kg
Dimensions: 470 × 450 × 60 mm
Origin: Bearpaw Formation, Alberta, Canada
Age: Late Cretaceous (~70 million years)
This remarkable ammonite displays extensive natural ammolite, a rare gemstone material formed through the fossilisation of ancient ammonite shells. Over millions of years, the original nacre layers of the shell were preserved under specific geological conditions, creating the vibrant iridescent colours seen today. Only a small proportion of ammonite fossils retain this structure well enough to produce gem-quality colour, and specimens showing broad, continuous fields of iridescence are particularly uncommon.
This example exhibits a striking spectrum across the shell, with rare electric blues along the venter transitioning into vibrant reds, oranges, golds, and greens across the whorl. The pronounced ribbing enhances the natural mosaic patterning, causing the colours to shift dramatically as light moves across the surface.
Large ammonites with strong, multi-colour ammolite coverage are highly sought after, and pieces of this scale are rarely encountered. Mounted as a sculptural display, the fossil captures both the beauty of a gemstone and the deep time of an ancient ocean ecosystem.
Weight: 7.5 kg
Dimensions: 470 × 450 × 60 mm
