Beautiful, large, iridescent heart - Ammolite Heart

A large ammolite heart from Alberta, Canada, with an unusually complete iridescence palette, from deep blue to emerald green to warm orange and red accents.

Ammolite consists of the iridescent aragonite shell of prehistoric ammonites. In the Upper Cretaceous Bearpaw Shale, the shell was transformed into its present opalescent form under pressure and mineralization approximately 65 million years ago.

The heart shape is created by selective cutting from a larger shell fragment. At this size, it is a handcrafted challenge to obtain a heart silhouette with consistently continuous iridescence. Most Canadian workshops work with smaller cabochons.

The natural breccia structure of the shell is part of ammolite's authenticity. Fine black veins of Bearpaw Shale cover the heart like a delicate map and are deliberately valued by collectors.

Sealed with a resin layer for stabilization, without which the thin aragonite film would delaminate. A collector's item with emotional form language, suitable as a gift of the highest class or as a central accent in a collection.