All the other stores we visited were happy to show you pieces and explain their unique features, but you never knew if it was in your budget until you asked. Our next major infusion of knowledge came from David Stratton, the owner of Stratton Jewelry (next to the Rose and Crown on Banff Ave.) Jewelry is grouped in show cases by price and all the pieces have price tags that are turned so you could read them. But we were still to learn more at other jewelry stores. We left this cluster of stores with a strong background in ammolite. Our understanding is that all three jewelry stores are owned by the same person, the owner of the Clock Towers. A third jewelry store in the cluster has a money exchange that beats any bank or other money exchange we have experienced. Across from this store is Freya's Jewellery, where you can watch skilled jewelers create custom settings for the stones. This young man should go far in this world. We were amazed at his knowledge, ability to express it, and willingness to spend time with us. (We have seen the same video on Public Television since.) During our 2008 visit, the owner's 14 year-old nephew answered our questions. We spent an hour in the store, went to lunch, and then came back for another hour to watch an hour-long video on ammolite featuring Korite International pioneering work with ammolite. Said to have the largest collection of loose ammolite stones in Banff or the Bow Valley, this store is a mini-museum on ammolite. On the left as you enter is Ammolite in the Rockies. Our second stop was The Clock Towers, located at the north-east corner of Banff Ave, and Buffalo Street. The only reason we didn't buy is that we wanted to continue our shopping adventure, thinking we might come back for it later after we visited other stores. It was less than 50% over our budget and we almost bought it. ![]() However, we were shown a piece of Mammoth Ivory with Ammolite set in both sides. Everything we were shown was beautiful - and outside our budget. Dressed more for the trail, then for shopping at a high-end jewelry store, we were never-the-less treated with courtesy and it was a good starting point for our Ammolite shopping odyssey. We started our shopping trip at the Banff Springs Jewellery at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. As we shopped, each jeweler told us the general story and then added a different bit of information that added to our knowledge. Part of the pleasure of shopping for Ammolite is to learn the fascinating details of this remarkable gemstone. Coming in well under our budget, I was able to add an unmounted green "dragon-skin" stone that I thought might mount into a tie tack setting or into the stand of a desk pen set. It was the flashing iridescent of the red that drove her decision. ![]() The piece Dee liked the most within our budget was a hand crafted three-color Ammolite mosaic set in Mammoth ivory with Ammolite on both sides of the ivory. We set a budget of $500 and didn't think we would be able to find something we liked - since the pieces we saw in the travel magazines priced out between $1,500 and $15,000 and you can spend much more than that. Shopping is free and is a fascinating use of your time, but buying can get expensive. ![]() Sold around the world in high-end jewelry stores, the proximity of the source of the gem to Banff and the crafting of it into jewelry by local jewelers makes Ammolite a great all-Canadian souvenir of your trip. The gem is mined along the St Mary River near Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, 340 kM (211 miles) from Banff. ![]() Interlaced over downtown Banff are jewelry and other stores that sell Ammolite jewelry, Canada's rare, beautiful and unique gemstone.
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