http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonite

Photo and below excerpt from Wikipedia, link to full article is above.

“Ammonites /ˈæmənaɪts/ are an extinct group of marine invertebrate animals in the subclass Ammonoidea of the class Cephalopoda. These molluscs are more closely related to living coleoids (i.e. octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish) than they are to shelled nautiloids such as the living Nautilus species. The earliest ammonites appear during the Devonian, and the last species died out during the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event.

Ammonites are excellent index fossils, and it is often possible to link the rock layer in which a particular species or genus is found to specific geological time periods. Their fossil shells usually take the form of planispirals, although there were some helically spiraled and nonspiraled forms (known as heteromorphs).

The name “ammonite”, from which the scientific term is derived, was inspired by the spiral shape of their fossilized shells, which somewhat resemble tightly coiled rams‘ horns. Pliny the Elder (d. 79 AD near Pompeii) called fossils of these animals ammonis cornua (“horns of Ammon”) because the Egyptian god Ammon (Amun) was typically depicted wearing ram’s horns.^[1] Often the name of an ammonite genus ends in -ceras, which is Greek (κέρας) for “horn”.”

In the Ordovician, we do not have Ammonites. This is most of southeast Minnesota. However, there is the southwest corner of Fillmore County this is Devonian. Iowa has Devonian outcrops and southern Minnesota to the west of us is Cretaceous and may have ammonites.

So, a friend from thefossilforum.com sent me an ammonite that was cut in half, and two sharks teeth, that glow fluorescent yellow – WOW! In return he asked me to make him a pendant from an ammonite that he sent me. He gave me no more information then he would wear it on a black rope. Hmmmmm…

I turned it over and over with my fingers and could not see one side as being truly better than the other. Plus, although it doesn’t show in the pictures, where the creature would have come out it is beautifully crystallized and has a subtle sparkle.

Although it has been 40 years since I have been to New Mexico – where the member is from and the ammonite was collected – I do remember turquoise being worn by both men and women. So, I decided on a three wire basket design to cradle the ammonite in – a black middle wire with copper wire for the cradle. I love copper because it is natural, a healing metal, and will darken with age and may even patina a beautiful verde green.

Copper is reported to have many healing properties when worn, including fending off infections, helping with arthritis, it is an antioxidant and balances the metabolism. For more information on the healing properties of copper go to:

http://www.wovenwire.com/reference/Copper-Reported-Healing-Powers.htm

And I love turquoise because of its healing and metaphysical properties…

“Healers revere turquoise as a master healing stone with metaphysical properties.  They also respect it as a power stone. Native Americans believe it was a gift  from the gods and symbolizes the connection of heaven and earth. They report it  brings wisdom from the gods. Turquoise deposits exist all over the earth, and  the color varies from light blue to a dark blue-green hue.”

Read more:  http://www.ehow.com/info_8252102_metaphysical-properties-turquoise.html#ixzz2mTF4TqXs

And in Eastern Cultures, the color black is almost always synonymous with the masculine – very appropriate for this wearer.

And because he is a fossil hunter, I oriented it properly for the creature. And fossil hunting is outdoorsy by nature, so I put it on a fishing swivel so that no matter how it falls on his chest it will be viewed attractively and can be turned 360 degrees for full viewing.

I think I put too much thought into this! So, here is the pendant…

This is a view of where the living chamber would have been. The pendant is flanked by the fluorescent (under long wave UV light) ammonites he sent me.

I am very pleased with the results. I hope he is.  And I hope this inspires you wear a fossil that you have collected!

Update: He and his wife loved it! He said it is “fantastic”!