This isn’t a crystal. It’s a fossil, and I love how clearly it shows the life that was here long before us.

The name “Orthoceras” is widely used in the fossil trade for straight-shelled cephalopods preserved in stone. The name can be used loosely, so it doesn’t always identify the exact genus of every fossil in a polished slab. The important thing is what you can see: the pale, straight shells running through the darker surrounding rock.

These animals lived in the sea and belonged to the cephalopod group, which also includes modern nautiluses, squid and octopuses. Their long shells were divided into chambers. As the animals grew, they added new chambers to the shell. In my fossil, you can see those chambered forms along the pale outlines.

After the animals died, their shells settled on the seabed and were covered by sediment. Over a very long time, the remains and surrounding sediment became fossil-bearing rock. The piece in my shop comes from Morocco. Its fossil shells have been polished to show their shapes and inner chambers, while much of the surrounding stone retains a rough, textured finish.

My listing describes the fossil as around 400 million years old. That gives a sense of its age, though the trade name “Orthoceras” on its own doesn’t tell us the precise species.

Traditionally associated with

Fossils aren’t crystals, so they don’t have quite the same crystal traditions. In modern collecting, people often keep fossils as reminders of ancient life and the passage of time. I find that idea fits this piece naturally: it offers a glimpse of an old seabed and the creatures that once lived there.

How I look after it

I dust the fossil with a soft, dry cloth. I keep it away from hard knocks, as the stone can chip, and I give it a steady place where it won’t be knocked from a shelf. I also keep it out of prolonged direct sunlight.

The polished fossil shapes and rough surrounding stone have different textures, so I avoid abrasive cloths or cleaners. A gentle dusting is all it needs.

In my shop

The Large Orthoceras Fossil is £45 and measures approximately 24 × 15cm. It comes from Morocco, with pale fossil shells running through dark stone. The shells are polished, while the surrounding stone is left textured and rough in places.

Free UK shipping on orders over £50. Everything is sent from Luton, and collection is available if you are local.