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"This includes adding bezel-set diamonds within a meteorite inlay and using faceted meteorite stones for engagement rings.” How can I incorporate meteorite into a custom ring design? "Customers come in with an existing ring design from another jewelry store, and then we work together to find a way to incorporate meteorite into it to create a completely one-of-a-kind piece," explains Rust of his own experience.Are there different types of meteorite? The three main kinds of meteorite are Gibeon, which is composed of an iron-nickel alloy containing significant amounts of cobalt and phosphorus Muonionalusta, an iron meteorite and Lunar, which is known to have originated on the moon.To complement this natural texture and finish, we like to pair it with a clean metal such as white tungsten that allows the meteorite to be the focal point, or with a bold metal such as black tungsten that creates a contemporary look,” explains Atlas. What metals pair best with meteorite? “Meteorite has a natural, beautiful texture, and its striation provides each ring with a unique pattern of swirling gray hues.Here are a few questions and answers you should know before choosing a meteorite ring. “As part of Brilliant Earth’s production standards, we apply a protective layer over the meteorite material in order to safeguard it from moisture," ensures Atlas. When inlaid into a ring crafted in tungsten, titanium, or another hard metal, it makes for a ring that can withstand the tests of time.”Ī con, however, is that meteorite is prone to oxidization because it contains a high amount of iron. Precious metal meteorite rings are closer to $1,000.Īs for durability, Atlas says considering meteorite rings are originally derived from an extinct planet’s core, several billions of years ago, the jewelry is extremely strong and resistant. Rust agrees, saying, "Meteorite is made up of metal elements, primarily metallic iron-nickel, making it very hard and durable on its own. Rust says, “Pricing runs the gamut depending on the ring metal, amount of meteorite, and other materials in a design.” For a thinner, single inlay meteorite ring crafted in an alternative metal, you can expect to pay about $400. The Complete Guide to Wedding Bands Pros and Cons of Meteorite RingsĬonsidering that the material is rarer than platinum, meteorite jewelry has a surprisingly modest price tag. After all, finding the perfect partner is a pretty astronomical feat!” “Meteorite is such a perfect material to incorporate into a ring to make it something extraordinary.
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Jeweler Johan Rust compares a meteorite ring to a snowflake: no two are the same. The resulting crystalline pattern is very distinct and unique. The material's striated design, known as a Widmanstätten pattern (figures of long nickel-iron crystals), is formed by bands of alloys called kamacite (nickel-iron found in meteorites) and taenite (a mineral found naturally on Earth, mostly in iron meteorites).Īccording to jeweler Ryan Atlas, what makes meteorite rings so special are their natural patterns, which are the result of nickel-iron crystals growing as the heated meteorite cools very slowly over millions of years. Nothing formed on Earth is quite like meteorite. Experts estimate that meteorite material travels at an estimated speed of seven miles per second. Meteorite is a piece of a comet, asteroid, or meteoroid that passes through the atmosphere and reaches the surface of a planet or the moon.
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