Fiery Ammonites Wired

I picked up several of these Madagascar ammonite pendants in Tucson this year; I just love how the fiery sheen to them gives an extra depth of color. Each pendant has been hand wire wrapped using non-tarnish wire; here I’ve done two in gunmetal and one in shiny gold. They are very unique and the colors are absolutely striking, ranging from soft hues of earth coffee/black/tan/cream to cream/pink/burgundy/tan to a large one in olive/tan/cream/rust colors.

Ammonites are an extinct group of marine animals belonging to the cephalopod subclass Ammonoidea and are excellent index fossils. They are utilized by geologists and paleontologists to link the rock layer in which they are found to specific geological time periods. The closest living relative of the ammonite is not the modern Nautilus, which they somewhat outwardly resemble, but rather the octopus, squid and cuttlefish. Their fossil shells usually take the form of planispirals, although there were some helically-spiraled and non-spiraled forms (known as "heteromorphs"). They ranged from the lower Jurassic (200Ma) to the Upper Cretaceous (65.5Ma).

The designs are a mix of old world in Tibetan and ceramic beads, crystals, jasper, and agates. Browse and purchase our uniquely artisan crafted jewelry designs online exclusively at our Ruby Lane Timeless Design shop!

Wired Ancient Fossil Meets Southwest

Wired ancient fossil meets a little southwest…..I started this design using a midnight black Ammonite Fossil from Madagascar, it shows a nice vein chambers in gray and is handcrafted in non-tarnish silver with coil and supporting wires. The base of the necklace is then created from Arizona Turquoise (stabilized) graduated in raw chips; all reflecting earthy colors of brown, rust, black, cream, green, and hint of blue. Scattered between the turquoises are barrels of Arizona Ivoryite, faceted smoke black crystal rondelles and silver disk spacers. The set includes the matching pair of black Ammonite Fossil earrings.

The ammonite’s name comes from the shell’s resemblance to a coiled ram’s horn (the ram being the symbol of the Egyptian god Ammon). Like the extinct belemnites and the living nautiloids, octopuses, squid and cuttlefish, they belonged to the mollusk group known as the cephalopods. The name comes from the Greek ‘kephale’ (head) and ‘podia’ (foot), referring to the tentacles they have in the head region.

There are many different species of Ammonites; Phylloceras, Psiloceras, Stephanoceras, and Caloceras just to name a few. I haven’t yet identified which group the pendant and earrings are members but they are quite definitely strikingly black ammonites.


Browse our online shop and find your rugged elegance in wearable earth!

Turquoise in Mosaic

I love the colors of these beads; bit shades of green with a hint of rust or blue among them, known at mosaic Turquoise. Though not entirely a natural stone, these beads are made from composites of crushed Turquoise bits. They make beautiful matrix beads and great additions to any piece of jewelry; rather the center of attention or as an accent to natural stones, crystals, metals or ceramics.

This set is made from the small more dominate green mosaic Turquoise beads, then mixed with toffee colored ceramic beads, gold spacer disks and light gold-lined glass seed beads; the highlight is button Ammonite handcrafted in brass non-tarinish wire.

Visit our collections for available designs from an array of stones and raw materials.

Fossil Ammonite Turquoise

Ammonites are absolutely beautiful fossils and they come in a vast array of color combinations from cool black to crisp fall colors of green, beige, brown and anything in-between. This new design features a handcrafted with brass non-tarnish wire nicely sized Ammonite pendant that has a fiery (slightly red) shimmery backside, which just adds to the dimension of the fossil as a focal pendant in this piece. To bring out the brilliant colors, I paired it with Arizona Turquoise chips and Ivoryite, a hint of faceted light Topaz crystals and gold spacers. A gold vermeil textured toggle and dangle teardrop hoop style earrings to match.





















This and many other custom handcrafted designs are available at our website.

Molluscs Group Goniatites Ammonites

The Ammonoidea were a huge group of mollusks, mostly with coiled shells, that lived in the seas and oceans. They started to establish themselves in the Early to Mid Devonian Period, from about 400-390 million years ago. Different subgroups came and went, some becoming incredibly numerous and widespread, until the end of the Cretaceous Period, some 330 million years later. Ammonoid subgroups included goniaties and ceratites and the ammonites. Together with belemnoids and nautiloids, as well as squid, octopuses and cuttlefish, the ammonoids are included in the major cephalopod, or ‘head-foot’, group of mollusks.

To the right; black/white Goniatite wired in silver with lava stone beads, pewter chain and spacers.




Fossils are always fun to learn about and exceptional pieces to work with in jewelry. I’ve been able to wire work many pieces, including Ammonites and Goniatites. Visit our website for these and other fossil jewelry designs.

To the left, Ammonite wired in brass with tibetan and ceramic beads, with goldtone endcaps and antique brass spacers.

Ammonites of Madagascar

Ammonites are an extinct group of marine animals belonging to the cephalopod subclass Ammonoidea and are excellent index fossils. They are utilized by geologists and paleontologists to link the rock layer in which they are found to specific geological time periods. The closest living relative of the ammonite, is not the modern Nautilus, which they somewhat outwardly resemble, but rather the octopus, squid and cuttlefish. Their fossil shells usually take the form of planispirals, although there were some helically-spiraled and non-spiraled forms (known as "heteromorphs"). They ranged from the lower Jurassic (200Ma) to the Upper Cretaceous (65.5Ma).






Ammonites provided by Panther Creek Minerals, San Antonio, Texas.


Custom handcrafted jewelry designs, visit our website.