These are RARE natural Fossils. Almost all show the reddish-orange or mother-of-pearly iridescence of the original shell that dates back to prehistoric times. They vary in color from a rich cocoa brown with whitish and light tans, some are light cafe au lait with darker striations. Almost all have at least some of that opalescene that is typical to ammonites. Each bead is more fascinating than the next!
Because these are natural fossils, please expect some to show their million year old patina. Please look at ALL the photos to see details of the beads you may receive.
Your lot of 7 beads will be chosen at random, but are similar to those in the photos.
They vary in sizes from approximately 55mm -30 mm. We cannot break up the strands.
They have a smooth polished surface but because these are NATURAL fossils there is some minor surface fractaling and pitting due to the inconsistencies in the natural shell and the age of these. They are polished nicely and are good specimens for jewelery artists or collectors.
About Ammonite (fossil) (Ammolite):
Ammonites, as they pertain specifically to the order Ammonitida, are an
extinct group of marine. Fossils, such as many found in Madagascar and
Alberta (Canada), display iridescence. These iridescent ammonites are
often of gem quality (ammolite) when polished. In no case would this
iridescence have been visible during the animal's life; additional
shell layers covered it.
Ammonite fossils became less abundant during the latter part of the
Mesozoic, with none surviving into the Cenozoic era. The last surviving
lines disappeared along with the dinosaurs 65 million years ago in the
Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event.
