Rock Review: Simbercite

 Simbercite if easy to fall in love with. It is not just a rock, but rather rock in combination with fossil. Ancient shell creatures called ammonite would grow to become very large, when they died, about 80 million years ago, the shells were filled with sea life and sediment.and swallowed by the earth. Over the coming millennia, the shells accumulated pyrite crystals, fossilized and under heat and pressure from the earth, these delightful stones were created. which include shell fossil, fossilized sea life, linear patterns of shining golden pyrite, and vivid coloration half amber and half chocolate brown.

Simbercite is named after Simbirsk, Russia, the city in which it was originally found. Most of the world's simbercite is mined in Russia. So now that we know the geology about it, what to do with this stone? It is a warm stone, not just to look at, but it warms quickly when held. This stone is thought to give energy to the wearer and to alleviate fears. But more importantly, it astounds us with it's jaw-dropping natural beauty. 

Rock Review: Turitella Agate

Turitella Agate is a fossil gem. The creastures fossilized in Turitella agate are called Elimia tenera (erroneously considered Turritella) shells. Elimia tenera are spiral marine snails having elongated, spiral shells composed of many whorls.

A good cut of Turitella agate features a bounty of these beautiful shell cross sections. these gorgeous stones come from the Green River Formation in southwestern Wyoming, Northeastern Utah, and Northern Colorado. The material is found in layers deposited in ancient lakebeds formed over 40 million years ago.

The coloration is typically a mixture of black and brown tones with the fossilezed shell patterns appearing in shades of pearly white. to beige. Because of the fossil nature of the stone, these gems are considered to carry a memory and help the wearer with memory and looking into the past. 

Rock Review: Ammolite

Our Rock Review today shines the spotlight on Ammolite.

Geology Buzz

Ammolite is one of the worlds few biogenic gems, in the ranks with amber, pearls and coral. Biogenic gems are formed from living creatures. Ammolite comes from small shells called Ammonites that are comprised mainly of Aragonite as well as a few other minerals like Calcite, Silica and Pyrite. The result is a gemstone with an iridescent opal-like play of color and a beautiful sheen. Ammolites are a compilation of thin layers of gem which give it it’s iridescence. Colors usually range from green to red, but can also turn up in blues and violets as well depending on the thickness of the stone layer matrix inside the gem. Rare whole Ammonite shells that have fully fossilized into Ammolite can be found occasionally also.

Ammolite scores a 4.5-5.5 on Moh’s scale of hardness and should be shielded from blows or environmental damage such as water or sun exposure. Consistent exposure to sun over time can cause the stone’s colors to fade.

Fun Facts

Ammolite is found exclusively in North America. A few locations are the Rocky Mountains and also in Canada. It is also the official gem of Alberta Canada. It’s a fairly new gem, not on the market until the 1970’s, and was given it’s gemstone status in 1981 by the World Jewelry Confederation. The Blackfeet Native American tribe has known the stone for centuries, however, calling it the Buffalo Stone. Legend has it that it aided Native Peoples in buffalo hunts by drawing the buffalo to them.

Practitioners of Feng Shui tout the stone as useful for improving one’s chi by detoxifying the body and promoting general well being. It’s nicknamed the “Seven Color Prosperity Stone” because each color is thought to benefit it’s wearer in different ways. A stone that contains, deep reds, greens and yellows is most desirable because it enhances growth, wisdom and wealth, all in one.

Ammolite Saturn Junior Bracelet by Layne Designs