Pallasite – PMG; Lyon County, Kansas (38° 42' N, 96° 6' W)

While meteorites are among the rarest substances on Earth (all the world’s meteorites weigh less than the world’s annual output of gold), pallasites represent just 0.2% of all known meteorites and are much rarer still. Gem-quality olivine or peridot (the August birthstone) is found in some pallasites — including in the current offering.

Admire pallasites were discovered during the plowing of a field in Lyon County, Kansas in 1881. Enterprising meteorite hunters returned to the site more than a century later, and after additional plowing, more samples were recovered with the aid of a metal detector.

Pallasites form at the mantle/core boundary of asteroids. The mantle’s stony olivine crystallized and settled to the body’s molten metallic core. As a result of Admire’s parent asteroid having shattered after colliding with another asteroid, the inner contents of the asteroid were set free and a tiny fraction of the material found its way to Earth.

Admire pallasites are readily identified by large polycrystalline areas cleaved into angular shards. On the cut and polished face of this example, the angular crystals showcase Admire’s crystalline olivine signature (see lots 4, 18 and 43 for different olivine presentations). The smooth contours of the meteorite’s exterior are blanketed in a variegated earth-hued patina and bumpy texture. Accents of olivine crystals abound. Accompanied by a custom armature, featuring extraterrestrial olivine and peridot, this is a superior end cut of a pallasite to be Admire(d). Modern cutting.

Christie's would like to thank Dr. Alan E. Rubin at the Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles for his assistance in preparing this catalogue.

127 x 203 x 36mm (5 x 8 x 1.33 in.) and 1622.7 grams (3.5 lbs)