How to polish ammolite and make it look shiny and multicolored

[RiseOfTheExtinct]

I've posted some pictures of the ammonite I bought and want to polish.

If you look at the third picture, (ammonite 2.jpg), you will see that on the ammonite some rainbow color resides. I want to make the whole ammonite that color. Is there any way to polish it to make the rainbow show more?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that rainbow color is fossilized mother of pearl aka Ammolite.

Does anyone know the following? If you could answer, that'd be a big help. Thank you for your future words! Any suggestions welcome. You'll never know what will work.

 

1. The best way to clean and polish the ammonite to make the ammolite show and without breaking the fossil.
2. A way to preserve the color when and if I polish it.

Thank you so much, everyone, for your future ideas!

[grandpa]

Hello RiseOfTheExtince,

 

First let me share the bad news.  I'm not sure that the nacre exposed on this ammonite is of a thickness nor quality that it can be turned into a shiny, multicolored ammolite specimen.  But I'm no expert on the process, so I could be wrong.

 

Now for the 'good' news.  There are plenty of resources on the web to get you started should you wish to go further.

 

First let's start with an understanding of what exactly ammolite is:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammolite

http://www.treasuremountainmining.com/index.php?route=pavblog/blog&id=116

 

Next I'd suggest you visit a past TFF post on this topic at: 

 

A brief article on the important step of stabilizing ammolite before polishing can be found here:  http://www.gemcutters.org/LDA/Ammonite.htm

 

From this point, perhaps a you-tube video on the process would be helpful: 

 

 

Some more particulars from someone who sells the rough:  http://www.gemcutters.org/LDA/Ammonite.htm

 

Finally, on a personal note, I've visited with someone in Alberta who collects ammolite, preps it, and sells it.  He tells me that the final coating that is used to seal the commercial ammolite is polyurethane.

 

Good luck if you decide to try this process on your specimen.  Otherwise, should it prove to not be the best specimen for such an effort, a few easier prep steps can be used to better preserve what you have.  TFF has some quality professional preparators as members.  I'm sure one or more of them will be along shortly to better advise you on how to proceed with your particular specimen.

 

In the meantime, I hope that I've provided you above with some background material to read so that you can get a better idea of what you are asking and what is involved in general in proceeding.  Best of luck, it's a nice ammonite!

 

 

 

 

[RiseOfTheExtinct]

Thanks so much! I will check these out. Your help is very much appreciated!