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Frequently Asked Questions |
| 1. WHAT IS AN AMMONITE?
* related to squid, octopus, cuttlefish
and the chambered nautilus * the Mosasaurs (http://www.onlyone.net/ammolite/ammonite%20history.html)
* they lived in a subtropical sea that bordered
the Rocky Mountains 4. WHAT ARE AMMONITES USUALLY PRESERVED IN? * chalky clay, limestone or limey shale 5. WHEN WAS AMMOLITE OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED AS A GEMSTONE? BY WHOM? * in 1981 by the International Commission
of Colored Gemstones (CIBJO) * AA - highest grade displaying three or
more brilliant sharp colours; also considered to be a collection grade -
found most often in one of a kind designer pieces 7. WHAT IS THE COMPOSITION OF THE NACREOUS LAYER ON THE AMMONITE? * aragonite - 96.92% 8. HOW CAN AMMONITES HELP TO DETERMINE THE AGE OF CERTAIN ROCKS? * As different species of ammonites lived
during different time periods, scientists can use these animals to determine
the relative age of the rocks in which their fossils are found (such fossils
are called index fossils). 9. HOW DID AMMONITES MOVE ABOUT? * Ammonites were able to swim, thanks to
the unique construction of their shell, which was divided into a series of
air chambers. The air in the chambers provided buoyancy for the animal
to float; like modern cephalopods, they probably moved through the water
using jet propulsion. 10. WHAT HAPPENED TO THESE FOSSILS OVER TIME? * as the seas receded, the ammonites were crushed
by tons of vegetation and silt, and many were fossilized * it is derived from the ancient Egyptian
god Ammon who considered them to be divine and is represented by the head
of a ram with twisted spiral horns that are reminiscent of ammonites twisted
shells (http://www.korite.com/ammonite.htm)
12. WHAT IS AMMOLITE? * recognized as ìAlbertaís
Gemstoneî 13. WHAT AMMOLITE IS CONSIDERED OF POOR QUALITY? * exposed ammonite which is easily bleached by the sun and damaged by frost is usually of poor quality (http:/www.ammonite.net/history1.htm) 14. WHAT CONDITIONS CREATED THIS GEM AMMOLITE? * The ammonite would have had to die close
to the shoreline of the Bearpaw Sea, near an inflow of fresh water.
The water somehow changed the chemistry of the shell, possibly depositing
iron on it, which accounts for the greens in the stone. The shell would
then have had to been crushed after burial. 15. HOW IS AMMOLITE USUALLY CUT? * $50.00 per carat * commonly treated with a colorless hardening
substance, for stability, via impregnation 18. WHAT DO THE RAREST AMMOLITE GEMS LOOK LIKE? * they show three or more colors and are
graded AA 19. WHAT IS THE NATIVE LEGEND BEHIND THE AMMOLITE STONE? * Legend tells of a blackfoot woman who discovered the stone while searching for firewood. During a particularly harsh winter, the buffalo had disappeared and the tribe was starving. While searching in the deep snow, the young women heard beautiful singing and followed the voice to an ammolite stone under a cottonwood tree. The stone told her it was powerful medicine and if she would take it back to the tribe it would provide food for the blackfoot. She did so and the next morning a large herd of buffalo was seen outside the camp. After that, the blackfoot used the stone in bison hunting ceremonies - wrapping it in a medicine bundle of buffalo hide. Through the aid of ammolite, the blackfoot were able to survive that particularly harsh winter. And ever since Ammolite has been commonly referred to as the buffalo stone as it signifies wealth and abundance. 20. WHERE IS THE MINING OF AMMOLITE MOST PROFITABLE? * their excavation is profitable only where the Bearpaw Formation lies close to the surface 21. HOW DOES AN AMMONITE BECOME AMMOLITE? * the process that turns a fossil shell
into ammolite is not clearly understood, but the result is similar to opal
(http://www.islandnet.com/~mineral/jewel6.htm)
22. WHAT ERA SAW THE EVOLUTION OF MANY FORMS OF AMMONITE? * the Mesozoic Era (http://www.islandnet.com/~mineral/jewel6.htm)
23. WHEN DID THESE AMMONITES DECLINE? * the Cretaceous, along with the dinosaurs (http://www.islandnet.com/~mineral/jewel6.htm) 24. HOW IS AMMOLITE RECOVERED? * through pit mining (http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive/9806/msg00095.htm)
25. WHAT ARE THE STATISTICS FOR THE AMOUNT OF AMMONITE SHELL THAT CAN BE CLASSIFIED GEMSTONE GRADE? * 1 out of every 100 ammolite specimens
found in Alberta is suitable for classification as ammolite (http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive/9806/msg00095.htm)
26. WHAT IS AMMOLITE'S HARDNESS? * it has a hardness of 4.5 to 5.5 27. HOW DOES ONE TAKE CARE OF AMMOLITE? * care must be taken when storing ammolite
jewelry 28. HOW IS AMMOLITE PRICED? 29. WHAT IS ITS CHEMICAL COMPOSITION? * Calcium Carbonate (http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive/9806/msg00095.htm) 30.WHAT IS ITS CRYSTAL STRUCTURE? * Orthorhombic (http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive/9806/msg00095.htm)
31. WHERE CAN AMMOLITE BE FOUND? * Alberta, Canada appears to be the only
known source of ammolite 32. WHAT IS AMMOLITE ALSO KNOWN AS? * Korite and Calcentine (http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive/9806/msg00095.htm) 33. WHAT DOES RARE QUALITY AMMOLITE RESEMBLE? * the Black Opal (http://www.onlyone.net/ammolite/ammolite%20what.html) 34. WHAT IS THE AMMONITE FOSSIL ALSO CALLED? * the Buffalo Stone, by the Blackfoot Indians
35. WHAT DOES THE BUFFALO STONE REPRESENT TO THE BLACKFOOT? * the broken pieces that wash our of flooded
creeks and rivers sometimes resemble a buffalo, which represents wealth,
good health, and stamina to the Blackfeet 36. WHAT IS SIGNIFICANT ABOUT OPALS? * they were believed to be pieces of heaven
knocked down by violent thunderstorms 37. WHAT IS AMMOLITEíS SPECIFIC GRAVITY? * it is 2.8 (http://www.paradise-jewelry.com/opal-ammolite-jewelry.htm)
* it has a refractive index of 1.52-1.67 (http://www.paradise-jewelry.com/opal-ammolite-jewelry.htm) 39. HOW IS AMMOLITE OFTEN ASSEMBLED? * the thin aragonite layer of the ammonite
shell is often assembled into triplets with a protective quartz top and a
shale backing 40. IS AMMOLITE FAR RARER THAN DIAMONDS? * yes it is (http://www.mountainesque.com/ammolite.html)
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