The Opal Aura Crystal Fossil Gastropod Shell is an ancient snail shell that’s been fossilized over millions of years and then enhanced with a crystal-like opal aura finish. While the crystals aren't natural, it is really cool. They also take a skilled hand to create, The shell has been coated with metals in a special process that gives it a bright, rainbow-like shimmer, almost like a gemstone. The result is this neat piece that blends fossils with crystals. A fossilized gastropod is an ancient snail shell that turned into stone over millions of years. After the snail died, its soft body broke down, but the hard shell stayed behind. That shell got buried under layers of sand or mud, and over a very long time, minerals from water slowly replaced the original shell material or filled it in. The result is a rock version of the original snail shell that can last for hundreds of millions of years. Also known as angel quartz, opal aura quartz is distinct from regular quartz due to its partially synthetic nature. It gains its iridescent hues through a bonding process with platinum and, sometimes, silver. To create this effect, a clear quartz crystal is heated to high temperatures and exposed to platinum and silver vapor. The metals then bond at the atomic level with the quartz's silicon dioxide, resulting in a stunning, iridescent rainbow glow that will surely catch the eye in any collection.
