What is Ammolite?
Ammolite is Canada's gemstone, one of nature's rarest gems. It is extremely rare and beautiful and each gem is unique in brilliance, color, and pattern.

Where is Ammolite found?
There is only one economically viable Ammolite deposit in the world located in Southern Alberta, near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Korite International has operated the largest commercial Ammolite mine in this area since the early 1980's.

What is Ammolite formed from?
Ammolite is formed from the mineralized remains of an upper Cretaceous fossil called the Ammonite Placenticeras. These hard shelled squid-like marine animals became extinct 65 million years ago due to the mass extinction that occurred at the end of that era. The gemstone material is formed from the compacted remains of the shell which was exposed to eons of tectonic movement, mineralization, intense pressure and heat. Please see www.canadafossils.com for more information on ammonites.

How old is the Ammolite gemstone?
The Ammolite gemstone is about 70 million year old.

Is Ammolite a gemstone?
Ammolite was granted official gemstone status in 1981 by CIBJO International Commission of Coloured Gemstones.

How is Ammolite graded?
Ammolite is graded according to color and brilliance.

Does Korite guarantee its Ammolite jewelry?
Korite's Ammolite is backed by an conditional lifetime guarantee on the Ammolite gemstone.

Where can I buy Korite Ammolite jewelry?
You can purchase Korite Ammolite Jewelry at an authorized ammolite retailer nearest you.

What gemstone does Ammolite resemble?
Ammolite's luminous qualities rival the famous black opal for colour and fire. See pictures of Ammolite here.

How hard is Ammolite?
Korite International produces two types of stones:
Naturals and Triplets.

Naturals have a hardness of 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs scale. For comparison, a diamond is 10 and pearls are 2.5.
Ammolite triplet stones have been covered with a synthetic spinel crystal to protect it. Spinel is a very hard gemstone having a hardness of 8.0.