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Ammolite
Canada's Gemstone
Granted official gemstone status in 1981, Ammolite's brilliant colour and infinitely variable patterns are the defining characteristics of this exceptional, highly sought after organic gem.
Pendants, earrings and rings in 14K gold and sterling silver will soon be available for purchase online.
Color of Ammolite
The color present in Ammolite is caused by light interference during refraction into the many layers of the gemstone. Each color in Ammolite represents a different layer of the gem material. So, depending on the number of fine layers in the rough, everything from one color to the full visible spectrum will be displayed. Since the play of light varies, every Ammolite gem shows a unique array of color. Ammolite is graded according to color and brilliance. The rarest and most desirable show three or more colours and are graded AA.
Sources and Origin of Ammolite
Ammolite is formed from an ancient marine fossil called ammonite. Although sources of ammonite exist in other locations around the globe, it is only in one isolated region of Southern Alberta, Canada, that this deposit produces the gemstone Ammolite. Seventy-one million years of tectonic pressure, heat and mineralization have resulted in the formation of this geological wonder.
Supply
The supply of Ammolite is extremely limited and with only one area for mining, Ammolite truly is one of nature's rarest gems. Our supplier, Korite International's eco-friendly Ammolite mine produces over 90% of the world's supply of this incredibly rare gem. At current production levels supplies of high grade ammolite are expected to be completely exhausted in approximately 20 years.
How hard is Ammolite?
The natural hardness of Ammolite is 3.5 to 4.0 on the Mohs scale. However, Korite International caps most Ammolite gem layers with a protective spinel crystal, increasing the hardness to an exceptionally durable 8.0. These capped gems are called triplets and, when set in gold jewellery by Korite International, are covered by Korite International's conditional lifetime guarantee.
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