Meteorite for Sale

• 1. Meteorite
• 2. Types of Meteorites
• 2-1. Stony meteorites
• 2-2. Iron Meteorites
• 2-3. Stony-Iron Meteorites
• 3. Gemstones Formed by Meteorite Impact
• 4. Meteorite Value
• 5. Meteorite for Sale Courtesy of KenKenGems

Meteorite

While most gems are born in the earth's crust, meteorite stones are guests from other worlds, other galaxies. Having traveled millions of miles through space, they find their last refuge on earth, and their approach is always a spectacular show. Their shine in the night sky is not the only reason we love meteors for. The appearance of raw space rocks can be unsightly - for the most part, they are gray-brown on the outside. However, as soon as you look inside, their unearthly beauty will blow your socks off. Meteorites are a great finishing touch for your jewelry thanks to the amalgamation of out-of-this-world allure and cosmic motif.

Types of Meteorites

Meteorites are dissimilar in terms of their composition. Some of them are made of rocks, another group is alloys of different metals, and others combine the features of both.

Stony meteorite

The most common (and the most ancient, more than 4.5 million years old) meteorites are comprised of silica. There are two types of stone meteorites - chondrites and achondrites.

Chondrite meteorite

Chondrites are a primitive and invariable form of space rocks because they have never been subject to geological activity or melting. You can recognize chondrites by inclusions of silica minerals and sulfide grains. One of the largest meteor showers observed by mankind brought us fragments of a chondrite stone dubbed as Sahara NWA 869. Found in the Sahara Desert, it has a deep chocolate color with gray accents and countless metallic flecks.

Achondrite meteorite

Achondrites, the other type of stony meteorite, have turned into magma and then cooled down again at some point in their life cycle. Because of these transformations, their internal structure is layered and concentric.

Iron Meteorite

Muonionalusta / Gibeon Meteorite

Contrary to what their name suggests, they are not made entirely of iron. Instead, their chemical composition features iron, nickel, sulfide, various carbide minerals, as well as trace heavy metals. Scientists believe that iron meteorites are former asteroid cores. Iron meteorites used in jewelry-making provide a stunning crystalline structure formed by different layers of nickel and known as the Widmanst?tten pattern. These cross-sectional patterns are a trademark of The Gibeon meteorite fallen in Namibia. Another well-known iron meteorite was found in 1906 in Sweden nearby the Muonio River, which gave it its current name - Muonionalusta. It is one of the oldest meteorites found on earth and one of the most gorgeous.

Campo del Cielo

If you value history associated with extraterrestrial rocks more than their pretty looks, you should consider getting a fragment of the Campo del Cielo Meteorite from Argentina. Scientists suggest that about 6,000 years ago, Earth had not one, but two moons! However, for a hitherto unknown reason, the lesser of the moons fell to earth in South America and formed what we now know as the Campo del Cielo meteorite field measuring 17 by 6 kilometers. Small, featuring a dark metallic finish and bizarre shapes, Campo del Cielo meteorites are the most mysterious and fancy decorations you can get.

Sikhote-Alin Meteorite

Sikhote-Alin Meteorite, which landed in Russia in the middle of the 20th century, provides curious specimens of an extraterrestrial iron-nickel alloy. These shards offer delightful sculptural and surface qualities that are sure to glue onlookers’ eyes to your piece of jewelry.

Stony-Iron Meteorites

These meteorites contain an iron-nickel alloy and silica in approximately equal parts. Some meteorites of this group even feature inclusions of precious stones. Depending on their chemical composition and internal structure, stony-iron meteorites are divided into pallasites and mesosiderites.

Pallasite meteorite

Pallasites look similar to Swiss cheese. They are made up of solidified nickel-iron mass and the holes are inclusions of translucent semiprecious olivine stones. Pallasites are a rare type of space rock, they make up only 1% of the known meteorites found on Earth. At the same time, there are pallasites which rarity is extreme - some of these meteorites contain diamonds instead of olivian. Presumably, these diamonds are older than the age of the entire Solar System!

The most well-known source of Pallasite stones is the Sericho meteorite from Kenya discovered in 2016. Caramel aggregations of extraterrestrial olivine are enclosed in a molten iron-nickel matrix, and this combination looks truly out-of-this-world.

Mesosiderite

Mesosiderites are formed when two asteroids collide. Their internal structure is the result of the mixing and fusion of their original components. A slice of mesosiderites displays small fragments of silicates congealed in a melted and solidified metal alloy.

Gemstones Formed by Meteorite Impact

Sometimes meteorites crash into the ground with such force that they melt themselves and the soil around them. The result of tremendous pressure and temperature are glassy tektites displaying colors ranging from green to brown and black. A meteorite that formed the Popigai crater in Russia had an impact force sufficient to turn carbon-rich soil into diamonds. Still, diamonds are an unlikely result of a collision. Most often, tektites are rather soft minerals lending themselves well to en cabochon cuts.

There is a great variety of tektites, many of them have their names originated from the regions where they were found in. Bediasites and Georgians are mined in the Chesapeake Bay crater in the United States. The countries of origin for Australians, Chinites, and Indochinites are Australia, China, and Indochina respectively. Some of the finest tektites are found near the river Moldau in Germany, and now these olive-green gems are known as Moldavites.

Impactites occur when meteorites hit the surface of the Earth and melt down silicon dioxide aka sand. Some of the most magnificent impactites have the trade name Libyan Desert Glass, as they mined in the Libyan Desert, a remote area of Sahara.

Meteorite Value

Mysterious and shrouded in multi-million-year history meteorites are highly valued. However, unlike gems of terrestrial origin, their price can fluctuate in the range from one dollar to thousands of dollars per 1 gram. The cheapest Chondrite stones can actually cost below $ 1 per gram. The price for premier Sikhote-Alin meteorites starts at $ 2-3 per gram. Pallasites are some of the most mesmerizing specimens of meteorites, and the most expensive ones, too. Their average price per gram often exceeds $20-$40.

A meteorite is always a smart investment. As the supply from a particular meteorite field depletes, the cost of space rocks skyrockets. A meteorite purchased today for a modest $10 could be worth thousands of dollars decades later.

Meteorite for Sale Courtesy of KenKenGems

Rocks that fell from the sky have both scientific significance and decorative value. With a rare and extremely beautiful space gem as your talisman or piece of jewelry, you’re bound to draw interest from near and far. KenKenGems is here to quench your thirst for gem-quality extraterrestrial rocks.

Iron meteorites such as Muonionalusta or Campo del Cielo found in our catalogs make out-of-ordinary beads and inlays for earrings and pendants. The beauty of Moldavites is able to overshadow even the finest gems of terrestrial origin. Kenya Sericho Pallasite will give a new allure and significance to your body ornaments. And if you’d like to craft a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry displaying a sculpture-quality rock, our undrilled Sikhote-Alin meteorite will come in very handy.

KenKenGems delivers meteorite stones from all over the globe, so don’t hesitate to explore the beautiful world of extraterrestrial rocks.