Think fossils are boring because you're into bright and bold colors and fossils come in what you think is a dull palette? Well, think twice. You’ve probably never seen iridescent ammonites, or rather, ammolites.
Ammonites are an extinct group of marine mollusk animals in the subclass Ammonoidea of the class Cephalopoda. They lived in the seas between 240 to 65 million years ago, during the Mesozoic Era. Renowned for their spiral-shaped shells resembling tightly coiled ram's horns (the term "ammonite" derives from the Greek ram-horned god Ammon), ammonites possessed the remarkable ability to swim, owing to the multi-chambered construction of their shells, providing them with variable buoyancy. Their fascinating form and intricate patterns have captured the interest not only of collectors and paleontologists but also of those unacquainted with fossils, drawn in by the allure of their shape.
All fossils are essentially comprised of minerals, and ammonite fossils are no exception, consisting primarily of aragonite, a crystalline form of calcium carbonate.
Over millions of years, subjected to intense heat and pressure, the inner layer of nacre in ammonites, composed of aragonite and organic proteins (known for the iridescence of pearls and shells), underwent transformation into ammolite (the only other biogenic gemstones in the world aside from amber and pearl).
Named in the 1960s (the conventional naming criteria for minerals, which require a substance to be a naturally occurring, uniform solid with a distinct chemical composition and an organized crystalline microstructure, do not extend to gems. Consequently, the gem discovered on ammonite fossils was dubbed "ammolite"), ammolite, essentially a form of aragonite, shares the same composition and structure, albeit at times with additional minerals like calcite and pyrite.
However, ammolite is not just a common gemstone; it's an extraordinary rarity. Found exclusively within ammonite shells that have undergone permineralization - a fossilization process - ammolite emerges as one of the world’s most sought-after gemstones.
The chromatic spectacle of ammolites is nothing short of mesmerizing. Light dances off layers within the fossilized shell, creating a stunning array of colors. While vibrant reds and greens, formed by thicker platelet layers, are relatively common, shimmering blues and purples, a result of thinner platelet layers, are far more elusive. Indeed, the beauty of ammolites transcends the realm of mere fossils, resembling unearthly specimens from distant worlds.
The intensity of an ammolite's iridescence significantly influences its quality and worth, with the finest examples boasting expansive, uninterrupted swathes of lustrous, rainbow-like hues. Found only in specific locales such as the Rocky Mountains in the US and the Bearpaw Formation in Alberta, Canada, ammolites occasionally make appearances at auctions, like they did last year at a Sotheby’s History of Science & Technology auction.
But here's where it gets truly intriguing: both ammonites and ammolites are believed to hold therapeutic properties, purportedly beneficial for physical and mental well-being. Legend has it that ammolite stabilizes the pulse and combats degenerative disorders.
This sounds like the perfect inspiration for a fashion collection (including some knitwear in a vibrant palette) characterized by transformative shades and hues in transition that also points at more important themes.
It is worth remembering that in the history of fashion there have been already designers who were inspired by spirals and ammonites in their collections and in their accessories as well. Iris ven Herpen, for example, often moved from the shape of ammonites for her collections.
Some of her designs inspired by fossils are currently on display at the exhibition "Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses" currently on at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris (until 28th April), among the others there's her "Ammonite dress" (A/W 2016/17 Haute Couture "Seijaku" collection) that also referenced iridescences since it was made with iridescent pearl-coated laser-cut strips stitched in 3D-layered shell shapes onto black tulle and cotton.
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