Lot Description: 71 crystals of extraterrestrial peridot (total 1.47 carats) extracted from Seymchan meteorites encompass a circular disc of a sample of the Moon cut from a specimen of lunar meteorite NWA 12691 — all of which are set in 14K white gold. Modern fashioning.
The pendant: 45 x 6mm
The lunar sample: 35 x 1.8mm and 4.82g
71 pallasitic (extraterrestrial) olivines: 1.79mm (each) in diameter and 1.47 carats
Lunar material is among the rarest substances on Earth. Faceted extraterrestrial gemstones are rarer still. This pendant features both: a sample of the lunar meteorite NWA 12691 found in the Sahara Desert (see lots 12 and 30) and peridot from the Seymchan meteorite shower recovered in Siberia (see lot 14).

Scientists identify Moon rocks by their specific textural, mineralogical, chemical and isotopic signatures. Many of the common minerals found on Earth’s surface are rare or absent on the Moon and some lunar minerals are unknown on Earth. Lunar meteorites reach the Earth after having been blasted off the lunar surface by the collision of an asteroid. In fact, it was asteroid and comet impacts that created the large craters covering the Moon. NWA 12691 was found in the Sahara Desert three years ago. The peridot is from Seymchan pallasitic meteorites found in Siberia and it originates from the lower mantle of an asteroid that was blown apart following an impact with another asteroid. Such crystals are found in a rare type of meteorite — less than 0.2% of all meteorites are of this variety — suspended in an iron-nickel matrix from the asteroid’s core. The crystals are extracted from the surrounding metallic matrix prior to faceting. The specimens from the Moon and Asteroid Belt are set in a 2.33 ounce white gold pendant. As one would expect, many of the Moon rocks returned by Apollo missions are nearly identical to lunar meteorites — and such is the case with this lunar sample. Designed by Maggie Kroenke, white gold, extraterrestrial gemstones and a slice of the Moon are brought together in this one-of-a-kind piece.

Christie's would like to thank Dr. Alan E. Rubin at the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles for his assistance in preparing this catalog note.