Dinosaur Bone used in rings and other jewelry is known as gembone (or gem bone) and has been described as one of the most rare and beautiful fossils in the world. Specimens can be traced back to dinosaurs that roamed the earth during the late Jurassic Age around 150 million years ago. The different colors and very unique pattern in gembones are caused by minerals such as chlorite, chromium, iron-oxide and manganese that enter the cells during formation.
Dinosaur Bone Jewelry Education
WHAT IS GEMBONE?
WHAT DOES GEMBONE LOOK LIKE?
Gembone found in the "wild" looks like a pretty typical rock and comes big and small. Until it is cut and polished, its true beauty isn't very apparent. The color and pattern of the dino bone is determined by the combination of the minerals present when the fossilized bone formed; that’s what makes each piece so unique and beautiful and our stock is always changing. Once we run out of a color that we currently have or had, the chances of us getting the same color again is unlikely. On the bright side, this also means that your dinosaur bone ring will be one-of-a-kind!
Raw, uncut gembone looks like a normal rock and comes in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Gembone cross-sections. These are what we show you to choose from for your made-to-order items.
DINOSAUR BONE COLOR & PATTERN VARIATIONS
Below you can see some past examples of the various colored dinosaur bone used in some different styles of rings. Needless to say, dinosaur bone colors and patterns run the gamut: our dinosaur color options are always changing, and these examples do not necessarily reflect our current color stock. Some dinosaur color options may be an additional cost. Most of our ring designs can be crafted with your choice of solid OR crushed dino bone. All crushed dinosaur bone inlays are coated with our Ring Armor making it extremely durable and water-resistant.
Please note that crushing a slab of dinosaur bone may cause the piece to become darker and muted in color.
BROWN-BLACK (solid)
TAN-BLUE (solid)
TAN-BLUE (crushed)
RED-BROWN (solid)
BROWN-GREY (crushed)
BLACK-BROWN (crushed)
YOU CHOOSE YOUR DINOSAUR BONE
After you place your order for a made-to-order dinosaur bone ring or other jewelry, the fun begins! If you have a preferred color, please mention it during checkout and we will do our best to find a gembone in your preferred hue. If you're local, you can stop in and select your dino bone pieces in person. Otherwise, we will send you high-quality scans like these below. Each is numbered and you simply tell us the specimen number you prefer!
IS DINOSAUR BONE LEGAL TO USE IN JEWELRY?
Fossils are legal to own and distribute. In the United States, if a fossil is found on your property, you can do whatever you want with it.
Note: Photo credit for this rustic US map goes to Etsy shop HiddenCabin
WHERE CAN A GEMBONE BE FOUND?
Some dinosaur bones are of non-gem grade and can be found in many places around the world. However, the highly agatized, beautifully colored and patterned dinosaur bone is almost only found in the Four Corners region of the Colorado Plateau in the USA (where the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado meet).
WHERE DO WE GET THE BONE WE USE IN OUR RINGS?
Here at Jewelry By Johan, we get most of our gembone from the Morrison Formation, which covers 600,000 square miles over several states. The gembone we use in our jewelry is from fragments that are impossible to match with the rest of a complete skeleton. This makes it difficult to know the species the bone came from.
The Morrison Formation (Source: Wikipedia)
DINOSAUR BONE RING CARE
Dinosaur bone may have survived for millions of years, but it's not immune to damage from reckless handling. To keep the gembone looking beautiful, avoid exposure to acidic elements and polishing agents. Cleaning or soaking in alcohol is not recommended.
Be very careful not to hit your dinosaur bone jewelry against a hard surface. It could chip or break like any other stone.
Washing your ring with a mild soap is the only maintenance dinosaur bone should ever require.