Tag Archives: Ammonite

Pyritized Ammonite Jewelry

Treasures from the Tucson Gem Shows

Finding pyritize ammonites around the Tucson gem shows is not that difficult, but it is hard to find large, whole undamaged Pyritized Ammonites.

 

Ammonites are extinct mullusks related to modern day Squids, Octipus, and Cuttlefish. They had compartmentalized bodies. This feature makes them very interesting when the inside is exposed to show these compartments.

The rear

Wonderful, large, Ammonites sporting multi-colored Opalized surfaces fetch many thousands of dollars at the Tucson Shows. These large showy Mullusks are mines in Alberta, Canada. Smaller inexpensive Ammonites are available by the millions from Moroccan dealers. We see Ammonites with a coating of Pyrite and we see fully Pyritized Ammonites like the one I found.

Giant Opalized Gem Ammonite from Alberta

These fully Pyritize Ammonites are from a location about 30 miles from Moscow. Similar ones come from other worldwide locales. I find wrapping these lots of fun but you have to be very careful with your tools as the interior structure is somewhat fragile.

We have had variations of ammonite used in our jewelry. I have made a dual piece with tiger eye, and ammonite encased in mammoth ivory, as well as the expected shiny-bright ammonite. You can see the current selection at our Fossil Jewelry page.

Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Shows 2014-Bones & Nuts

I found Victoria Stone!

I found Victoria Stone!

Ammonite.  Love the Iridescence.

Ammonite. Love the Iridescence.

Perfect Natural Crosses are scarce in this Russian Material.

This scarce Russian material features perfect Natural Crosses.

I started to take photos of things I found yesterday, but ran out of daylight last night. Ammonite from Canada, Staurolite from Russia’s Kola Peninsula, and the very rare Victoria Stones from days gone by.

Happy Bonnie looking for spare parts.

Happy Bonnie looking for spare parts.

I promised Bonnie I would take her to a bead show today, and since I wanted to go to Kino Complex we found that the “Best Bead Show” was open. Both inside and outside the Kino Community Center on Ajo Way right across the street from where I wanted to go. I was surprised there were other things at this show other than beads.

I’ve been looking for some additional lighting for our show tent and found just the right LED fixtures. I bought a new LED lamp with a flex arm for using in my shop to check cabochons for scratches . A bit pricey, as are most LED’s, these had very sturdy vice-type metal grips to attach to table edges. I was pleased to have found them.

I'm closely examining these opals.

I'm closely examining these opals.

"Yawah Nuts" hold a real possibility of treasure inside. Beautiful Opal that a picture does no justice to.

"Yawah Nuts" hold a real possibility of treasure inside. Beautiful Opal that a picture does no justice to.

I did not take any photos at that show. We headed off to Electric Park where we had a few errands. Bonnie needed some beading supplies. I needed a part at Diamond Pacific. I scratched away in some bins I had not seen before.

I discovered some rare Yellow Cat Petrified Redwood at Larry Walker’s Booth. I purchased several smaller pebbles for cutting/jewelry. Yellow Cat is the most red of any petrified wood. Back in the day Tiffany treasured this vibrant wood for his top-notch jewelry. The booth that had the Yellow Cat also had Dinosaur Bone. Larry admired the D-Bone Pendant I recently made, and I was literally blown away by a bracelet he had on. We had a mutual admiration society going down right there.

Larry's mind blowing bracelet

Larry's mind blowing Dinosaur bone bracelet

My pendant.

My pendant--The Boneyard

I discovered some nice opal Yowah Nuts. Yowahs are a matrix opal with unique patterns. These can contain real treasures at times. They aren’t nuts, but brown roundish rock, with thin seams of color waiting to be uncovered by skilled lapidary work.

Jasparella Jasper from mountain near Quartzsite. I loved the red.  It looked like red Dino Bone

Jasparella Jasper from mountain near Quartzsite. I loved the red. It looked like red Dino Bone.

Why has this table not collapsed?

Why has this table not collapsed?

A massive semi came and dumped tons of rocks since last I was at Electric Park.

A massive semi came and dumped tons of rocks since last I was at Electric Park--Kino Sports Complex.

Look at those Labradorite Skulls in the sun!!!!

Look at those Labradorite Skulls in the sun!!!!

I think I’ll just let my pictures do the talking about our adventures today.