Imagine stumbling across a piece of history that’s millions of years old. That’s exactly what happens when you find an ammonite. But wait, there’s more! Sometimes, they turn into something as colorful as a rainbow: ammolite.

Ammonites are the fossilized remains of ancient marine creatures. They look like coiled shells and were once home to animals similar to today’s squids. Meanwhile, ammolite is a gemstone made from the fossilized shells of ammonites.

In this article, we’ll dive into the intriguing world of these two natural wonders, exploring the differences between ammonites and ammolites and how they’re connected by their amazing similarities.

Get ready to be amazed as we unravel the mysteries of ammonites and ammolites, two of nature’s most extraordinary creations!

The Major Differences

Having almost identical names does not mean ammolite and ammonite are interchangeable. In fact, these two natural wonders are more distinct than they are similar.

Let’s get to know the vast differences between ammonite and ammolite.

Color – Ammonite comes in a range of earthy colors.

Ammonite is like a piece of history from the ocean, and its colors are usually more muted, like browns, blacks, and grays. These colors are calm and remind you of rocks and fossils you might find on a nature hike.

These colors come from the minerals that have seeped into the fossil for millions of years.

Now, ammolite is a whole different story. It’s like a party of colors in a stone! It shines with all sorts of brilliant hues: reds, greens, blues, and purples.

This happens because of the way light bounces off the thin layers inside the ammolite. These layers are super thin, even thinner than human hair, and they act like prisms, breaking the light into many colors.

Luster – Ammolite appears brilliant and shimmering.

Luster is the way something shines or reflects light, and when we talk about ammonite and ammolite, their luster is like night and day.

Ammonite usually has a luster that’s kind of low-key. It has a subtle glow. This makes sense because they are fossils, and fossils aren’t known for being flashy. They’re more about showing off their age and history.

The luster of an ammonite can sometimes be a bit shiny, but it’s more like the gentle shine of an old coin rather than a bright sparkle.

Ammolite, on the other hand, is all about the sparkle and shine. It has a seriously eye-catching luster. It’s like the shell got a major glow-up.

It shines like a gem, with a brilliance that’s similar to opals. Its luster is so bright and vivid that it can almost look like it’s lit up from within.

Crystal Structure – Ammonite has a fine crystalline structure.

Ammonite fossils have a fine crystalline structure that’s kind of like a tight, orderly pattern. The main stuff in it is a mineral called aragonite, which forms in a way that’s neat and structured.

This makes the ammonite solid and sturdy, but it doesn’t do anything fancy with light.

Ammolite, though, is a whole different story. It’s made from the same material as ammonite, but the way the crystals are arranged is what makes it super special.

The aragonite crystals are super thin and layered on top of each other, kind of like pages in a book.

These layers are so fine and so perfectly arranged that they create a magical effect with light. When light hits ammolite, it bounces between these layers, breaking up into all sorts of colors.

Composition – Ammolite is made of aragonite with trace elements.

Ammolite and ammonite both start with the same main ingredient, but they end up being totally different.

Ammonite is mostly made of aragonite, a kind of calcium carbonate that’s the same stuff you find in chalk and limestone. It gets mixed up with other minerals over millions of years.

These minerals seep into the fossil and replace the original shell material. That’s why ammonites can have different colors like browns, blacks, and grays.

Ammolite, in comparison, is where things get colorful. It’s also made from aragonite but there are extra ingredients that turn it into a gemstone.

These extras include tiny bits of minerals like iron, magnesium, and silica. These minerals add to the aragonite and help create those amazing colors ammolite is famous for.

Formation – Ammonite was once a marine creature that was fossilized over millions of years.

Ammonites were once living creatures in the sea, kind of like squids with shells, and lived a long, long time ago. When they died, their shells fell to the ocean floor. Over millions of years, these shells got buried under layers of mud and other stuff.

This is where the cool part happens. The shells slowly turned into stone as minerals from the water and earth seeped in and replaced the original shell material.

Ammolite, meanwhile, has an even more special story. It starts the same way, with the ammonite shell getting buried and turning into a fossil.

In just the right conditions, some of these ammonite fossils go through another change.

The aragonite in the shells, along with other minerals, creates this amazing play of colors. This transformation doesn’t happen to all ammonite, which is why ammolite is pretty rare and super special.

Density – Ammolite is slightly more dense.

Density is all about how much stuff is packed into a certain space.

Ammonite has a pretty solid density. This makes sense because the shells got filled up with minerals from the earth and water. These minerals took the place of the original shell material, making the ammonite heavier and more packed.

Ammolite, on the other hand, is made from the same ammonite shells, but the process that turns it into a gemstone also affects its density.

It’s usually found in thin layers on the ammonite shell. These layers are like thin sheets of color and aren’t as packed with minerals as the rest of the fossil. This is why it’s a bit lighter and less dense.

When ammolite is used in jewelry, it’s often backed with another material to help protect it and make it easier to handle.

Hardness – Ammonite isn’t very hard, but it’s harder than ammolite.

Hardness is a measure of how easy or hard it is to scratch something.

Ammonites aren’t super hard. They’re kind of in the middle, with a hardness ranging from 3.5 to 4 in the Mohs Scale of Hardness. This means they’re not as soft as chalk but not as hard as a diamond.

Its hardness can change a bit depending on what minerals have gotten into the fossil over time. Some might be a little harder if they have more minerals in them.

On the other hand, ammolite is usually a bit softer than the fossil it comes from. That’s because it’s made of thin, colorful layers that can be pretty delicate. These layers make it more likely to get scratched.

So, ammolite isn’t the best choice for something like a ring that gets knocked around a lot. It’s better for special pieces that don’t get roughed up too much.

Location – Ammolite is much rarer.

When you’re out rockhounding and looking for cool stuff, knowing where to find ammonite and ammolite can make your adventure way more exciting.

Ammonites can be found all over the world. You might find them in places like the United States, Canada, Madagascar, and even in some parts of Europe.

They’re often hidden in sedimentary rocks, so if you’re at one of the best rockhounding locations with these kinds of rocks, keep your eyes peeled for ammonite.

Ammolite, on the other hand, is a bit trickier to find because it’s way rarer than ammonite. The best spot to find it is in Alberta, Canada, especially near the Bearpaw Formation.

It’s not like you can just go to any gem mine near you and expect to find ammolite. It takes more of a special trip, which makes the discovery even more worth it.

Price – Ammonite is generally more affordable.

When it comes to price, ammonite and ammolite are like two different items on a shopping list, with one being more like a regular buy and the other a special splurge.

Despite its amazing history, ammonites are usually not too expensive. Its price can depend on factors like how big it is, how well it’s preserved, and how unique it looks.

Some big or well-preserved ammonites might cost more, but in general, they’re pretty affordable.

Ammolite, on the other hand, is way rarer and way more colorful. Because it’s so rare and so pretty, it can be pretty pricey.

Its price depends on how bright and how many colors it has. The more colorful and shiny it is, the more it costs.

The Similarities

Despite their many differences, ammolite and ammonite also share important similarities. Below are the major traits that they both have in common:

Cleavage – Ammolite and ammonite both lack distinct cleavage.

The cleavage of rocks and minerals is about how they break or split along certain lines. It’s like how wood splits easier along the grain than across it.

When it comes to ammonite and ammolite, they’re pretty similar in this area— neither of them has cleavage.

Ammonites don’t split along clean, straight lines. Instead, they break in a more random, curvy way. This type of break is called a conchoidal fracture, and it’s common in materials like glass and some types of minerals.

Ammolite is similar to ammonite in this way. Even though it’s a gem, it still doesn’t have cleavage.

Instead, it can be a bit brittle and might chip or break, but not along neat lines. It’s more likely to crack or flake, especially since it’s often found in thin layers on the ammonite shell.

Streak – Ammonite and ammolite have white or colorless streaks.

Streak is the color of the powder left behind when you rub a rock on something rough, like a piece of unglazed porcelain. In terms of their streak, ammonite and ammolite are pretty similar.

Ammonites usually leave behind a white or colorless streak when you do the streak test.

This happens because its main part is made of aragonite, which is a type of calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is the same stuff you find in chalk, and just like chalk, it leaves a white streak.

Ammolite also has a white or colorless streak. Even though it’s full of bright colors on the outside, the streak it leaves is still white or colorless.

That’s because the colors in ammolite come from the way light interacts with it, not from the actual material it’s made of.

Magnetism – Neither ammolite nor ammonite is magnetic.

Magnetism is all about how much a rock or mineral is attracted to a magnet. Some rocks are like magnets’ best friends, sticking to them super easily.

But when it comes to ammonite and ammolite, they’re more like the magnets’ acquaintances— they don’t stick.

If you hold a magnet up to an ammonite, it’s not going to stick. Aragonite, which is the main composition of ammonite, doesn’t have any iron or other magnetic materials in it.

Ammolite is also not magnetic. It’s made of the same stuff as ammonite, which isn’t magnetic.

It doesn’t matter how pretty or colorful the ammolite is; it’s just not going to stick to a magnet.

Fluorescence – Ammonite and ammolite may show fluorescence.

Fluorescence is a property of a rock that glows under a special kind of light, like a blacklight. Ammonite and ammolite have something in common when it comes to it.

Ammonites sometimes have this neat ability to glow under ultraviolet light. It’s not like they’re super bright and colorful all the time, but under the right light, they can show off some cool colors.

This happens because of certain minerals that got into the fossil over millions of years. These minerals react to ultraviolet light and make the ammonite glow.

Ammolite can also be fluorescent. It might not look like much under normal light, but under a blacklight, it can show a different side.

The fluorescence in ammolite is also because of the minerals in it, the same kind of minerals that can make ammonite glow.

Conductivity – Both ammolite and ammonite are poor conductors.

Conductivity is all about how well something can carry electricity. Ammonite and ammolite are both not great at conducting electricity.

Ammonites are mostly made of aragonite, which is not known for being good at conducting electricity.

It’s more like an insulator, which means it doesn’t let electricity pass through it very easily.

Ammolite is in the same boat. Even though it’s super colorful and looks different from the fossil it comes from, it’s still made of aragonite. That means it’s also not good at conducting electricity.

The Easiest Ways To Tell Them Apart

Now that you know the major similarities and differences between ammonite and ammolite, let’s proceed to the best practical ways you can decipher them while you’re out in the field:

Check the colors

Checking the color is a great way to tell ammonite and ammolite apart because these two have very distinct color characteristics.

When you look at an ammonite, you’ll mostly see colors that remind you of the earth – browns, blacks, and grays. They don’t usually stand out with bright or shiny colors.

On the flip side, ammolite is all about vivid, eye-catching colors. If you see something sparkling with reds, greens, blues, and purples, it’s likely ammolite. Its colors also change and shimmer as you move it around.

Look at the luster

Looking at the luster, which is how shiny or reflective a surface is, can be a big help in telling ammonite and ammolite apart.

Ammonites have a more understated luster. Their shine is more subdued and not as eye-catching. It’s like the gentle glow of an old coin or a piece of driftwood.

Ammolite, on the other hand, stands out because of its brilliant and vivid shine. It’s like looking at a piece of opal or a shiny piece of glass. Its luster is so bright and shimmering that it can almost look like the stone has lights inside it.

Feel the surface

Feeling the surface of ammonite and ammolite can give you a good clue about which one you’re holding.

When you touch an ammonite, it feels more like a regular rock or fossil. Its surface can be a bit rough or bumpy. Being ancient remains of sea creatures, it has ridges, bumps, or even small pits on the surface.

Ammolite, in contrast, has a different feel. It’s smoother and more polished, much like a gemstone. Its surface is more refined and has a different tactile quality.

It’s like the difference between touching a polished marble countertop and a natural, uncut rock.