Jewelry

[DarlingDino]

Hey ladies anyone buying the ammolite pieces? Are they really as rare as alexanderite? I see his pieces are selling out fast but some reviews I read are not real good so wanted to hear from some of you. If it is so rare and expensive how can they sell them at such low prices here, wonder if they are the lesser quality stones? Or is it because they are smaller pieces. Just wondering if it would be a good idea to buy or not I do love the colors in shown but some reviews are saying the colors are not in their stones

[Karnerblue]

I've owned a ring for over a year J269000.  Can't answer all your questions but if you google Ammolite you can find out lots of info.  I like my ring and the colors are pretty.  I think with this kind of stone they are pretty much unique so each one would be different.

[Kachina624]

As I'm sure you realize,  ammonite is the fossilized remains of a pre-historic sea creature.   It is only found in one area, in Alberta,  Canada.   I've been to that area and the stores are full of it,  so I wouldn't say it's rare.   Some is much better quality than the average.   Anything with blue seems to bring a premium price.   It's not inexpensive anywhere.   I bought a ring set in gold back in the 80's at the Chateau at Lake Louise in a gift shop but have never worn it much. 

[TY]

I have some ammonite jewelry set in rhodium plated sterling silver. The jewelry sold on shopping channels is probably from Korite as they own one of the mines in Alberta. When Korite, a Canadian company with their headquarters in Calgary, first came to The Shopping Channel in Canada, they only sold ammolite set in gold and their jewelry was manufactured in Canada. When gold prices went up, the company started selling mostly ammolite set in rhodium plated sterling silver on TSC and the silver jewelry is manufactured in China. 

Ammolite with blue in it is more expensive than the green and orange. As ammolite is a soft stone, it's usually a doublet with clear quartz on top. It's pretty unlikely though that even if you see a piece on TV that has flashes of blue in it that your piece will have blue in it when you buy off TV without being able to choose the stones in person. 

You can buy ammolite jewelry in Alberta, i've bought my stud earrings in siver from Banff, Alberta. Alberta doesn't have a provincial sales tax, just GST.

Edited to add a link to the ammolite items on QVC J56348

http://www.qvc.com/Ammolite-Triplet-Sterling-Silver-Ring-or-Pendant-onChain.product.J56348.html?sc=J...

J329168 ammolite pendant

J329167 ammolite ring

The vendor in the videclip is Ken Oschipok and he works for Korite. He's been the vendor for this brand of ammolite for years and regularly appears on The Shopping Channel in Canada.

[aprimo]

I don't care for the way the ammolite is set on the TV shopping channels. The pieces I have seen on TV are usually delicate, with tiny stones. I have seen many pieces locally made by Texas jewelry artists with much larger pieces of ammolite (although not usually with blue flashes), set in chunky silver settings with interesting textures and sometimes some gold accents and even a few smaller gemstone accents. They usually sell for $500 - $700. But with the size of the ammolite and the weight of the metals, plus the unique designs, I don't mind paying that (when I have it).

[SANNA]

I like the look of it but do not care enough to buy it. Besides I haven't seen any really gorgeous pieces with it. 

But surely the play of colors is great. I saw a lot of it in Quebec City. Pricey but very simply made.

[Kachina624]

Ammolite is usually set in simple,  basic setting so the stone gets the attention,  not the metalwork.   That's the way very decorative stones should be set. 

[Gemspirit]

I'm a few courses from my GG. So for what it's worth, this is what I know. The fossilised version "Amolite" is not pretty in the "gemstone" sense. It has a nautilous sense to it. It isn't naturally colored like an iridescent form of it. I own several specimens.....they are very much like a nautilus. The gemstone form is not completely organic and treated heavily. 

The trade name of the jewelry form is what's called "Amolite" and is not as rare rare as the industry tries to make the public think. 

Amolite can be treated to be the iridescent colour or any one variation thereof. It is also not that expensive but for what it's set into and the label selling it. Like any other jewel, it is branding~Pure & simple

The  prices at QVC are quite fair as prices for this "gemstone".  

[SANNA]

---

@Kachina624 wrote:

Ammolite is usually set in simple,  basic setting so the stone gets the attention,  not the metalwork.   That's the way very decorative stones should be set. 

---

"Basic" is the key word. I like simple lines  but still artistic and creative.  Basic is another word for boring for me. Doesn't have to be encrusted with the diamonds.

[SANNA]

---

@Gemspirit wrote:

I'm a few courses from my GG. So for what it's worth, this is what I know. The fossilised version "Amolite" is not pretty in the "gemstone" sense. It has a nautilous sense to it. It isn't naturally colored like an iridescent form of it. I own several specimens.....they are very much like a nautilus. The gemstone form is not completely organic and treated heavily. 

The trade name of the jewelry form is what's called "Amolite" and is not as rare rare as the industry tries to make the public think. 

Amolite can be treated to be the iridescent colour or any one variation thereof. It is also not that expensive but for what it's set into and the label selling it. Like any other jewel, it is branding~Pure & simple

The  prices at QVC are quite fair as prices for this "gemstone".  

---

Gemspirit, I love your pictures!!!!

It proves my point about Ammolite. Mother Nature create such a perfection that you know that only G-d could create something like this.

When I look at Nautilus (above) it s so amazing, I am thinking of Antonio Gaudi and his creations I saw in Barcelona. He used a lot of nautilus motifs in his architecture.

The picture below looks like someone threw up some chemical stuff.

Good luck with your studies, I am envious.

Happy Valentine Day!!!