AuctionsMar 24, 2023
Piece of the Week: The $5.8M Patek Philippe ‘Sky Moon Tourbillon’AuctionsMar 31, 2023
Piece of the Week: The Extraterrestrial Lunar Necklace
Artisan Martin Roberts fashioned lunar meteorites into 48 beads to create this out-of-this-world necklace.
The “Lunar” necklace was the top lot of a recent Christie’s auction, selling above estimate for $201,600. (Image credit: Christie’s Images Ltd. 2023)
This Piece of the Week pick is reminiscent of one of the most memorable scenes in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” when George Bailey asks his sweetheart Mary Hatch what she wished for, but she won’t say.
“What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word, and I’ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down,” he offers in a goofy, albeit romantic, gesture.
The “Lunar” necklace does just that and is much more wearable.
It was the top lot of Christie’s recent online sale, “Deep Impact: Lunar, Martian, and Other Rare Meteorites,” selling for $201,600, topping pre-sale estimates.
The necklace is a single strand of lunar beads, which are just what they sound like—pieces of the moon.
The story of how these beads came to be is like a fairytale for space aficionados.
For starters, substances from the moon are some of the rarest on Earth. There’s less than 1400 kg of the moon known to be on Earth, just about enough to fit in the trunk of a large SUV, said Christie's.
Apollo astronauts brought back nearly 400 kg of that material via moon rocks, while the rest of it comes from lunar meteorites, or pieces of the moon that fall off the moon’s surface after an asteroid impact. (That’s also how the moon gets most of its craters.)
The lunar meteorites used to craft these beads were discovered in 2017 by nomads in the desert, specifically the northwest African corridor of the Sahara Desert.
Related stories will be right here …
“What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word, and I’ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down,” he offers in a goofy, albeit romantic, gesture.
The “Lunar” necklace does just that and is much more wearable.
It was the top lot of Christie’s recent online sale, “Deep Impact: Lunar, Martian, and Other Rare Meteorites,” selling for $201,600, topping pre-sale estimates.
The necklace is a single strand of lunar beads, which are just what they sound like—pieces of the moon.
The story of how these beads came to be is like a fairytale for space aficionados.
For starters, substances from the moon are some of the rarest on Earth. There’s less than 1400 kg of the moon known to be on Earth, just about enough to fit in the trunk of a large SUV, said Christie's.
Apollo astronauts brought back nearly 400 kg of that material via moon rocks, while the rest of it comes from lunar meteorites, or pieces of the moon that fall off the moon’s surface after an asteroid impact. (That’s also how the moon gets most of its craters.)
The lunar meteorites used to craft these beads were discovered in 2017 by nomads in the desert, specifically the northwest African corridor of the Sahara Desert.
Darryl Pitt, curator of the Macovich Collection of Meteorites, came up with the idea and consigned the piece.
“Today, we set a benchmark result for extraterrestrial jewelry with the landmark sale of the Lunar Necklace,” said Pitt. “This necklace is a game-changer in the market.”
Artisan Martin Roberts, known as a master sphere fabricator, fashioned the material into beads.
As with diamonds and colored gemstones, the cutting and polishing of lunar meteorites leads to a lot of the material being lost in the process, said Christie’s.
It features 48 beads, each around 8.25 mm in diameter and weighing 3.66 carats, fastened with a white gold clasp.
As with similar varieties of meteorite, the beads contain fragments of olivine, pigeonite, augite, ilmenite and signature white anorthite, incredibly rare substances on Earth though common on the moon, said the auction house.
A majority of the available specimens, because of their rarity, are housed in museums and research institutions, so the opportunity to wear pieces of the moon is extra special.
More on Auctions
The Latest
Policies & IssuesOct 08, 2026
Third Wave of IEEPA Tariff Refunds Begins This round of tariff refunds is for importers that have sued over IEEPA tariffs in the Court of International Trade and won.
CollectionsOct 08, 2026
Brent Neale’s New Collection Goes ‘Back to Basics’It revisits the brand’s most requested silhouettes, from "Pillow"-set necklaces and bracelets to "Signature"-set rings and earrings.
SourcingOct 08, 2026
Ethical Gem Fair Heads Back to BrooklynThe trade-only event includes buying opportunities as well as educational sessions on artisanal mining, the new Paraíba source, and more.
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
Events & AwardsOct 08, 2026
Pattons Fine Jewelry Sweeps Local Design ContestAra Chanakian, a jeweler at Pattons, took home top honors in every category at Jewelers of Louisiana’s annual jewelry design competition.
Weekly QuizOct 08, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Supplier BulletinOct 08, 2026
Overnight Mountings’ Bridal Builder Helps Jewelers Turn Custom Design into a Hands-On Selling ExperienceSponsored by Overnight Mountings
Policies & IssuesOct 07, 2026
The Plumb Club Amplifies Its Voice as Geopolitical Pressures MountThe supplier organization recently joined JA and JVC to have more input on political issues affecting the jewelry industry.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
Blue Nile, Royal Asscher Collection Highlights Natural Diamond BeautyBlue Nile, a Signet Jewelers-owned brand, is now Royal Asscher’s exclusive licensed retailer in North America.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
4 Standout Pieces in Audemars Piguet’s First High Jewelry Collection “Royal Oak” pays homage to the brand’s most popular watch model using 18-karat gold as well as diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires.
MajorsOct 07, 2026
Empire Safe & Vault Promotes Juan Morales to CEOAs part of the transition, Joseph Nicosia has stepped into the role of COO.
SourcingOct 07, 2026
AGTA Extends Deadline for 2026 Spectrum Awards EntriesParticipants now have until Oct. 14 to complete their submissions.
Policies & IssuesOct 06, 2026
6 Charged in Connection to String of New Jersey Smash-and-GrabsThe alleged thieves used crow bars and sledgehammers to smash into jewelry stores across the state.
ColumnistsOct 06, 2026
Sherry Smith: Is the Consumer Really Trading Up?Ahead of the holidays, Smith urges jewelers to take a hard look at who’s buying jewelry, what they’re purchasing, and who’s stopped buying.
SourcingOct 06, 2026
DDG Taps Influencers for ‘My Diamond Does Good’ CampaignIn the new consumer-facing campaign, four fashion and lifestyle creators share the stories behind their natural diamond pieces.
MajorsOct 06, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names COO, CMOFGI President John Orrico is also leaving the company after more than 13 years.
Events & AwardsOct 06, 2026
JIS Fall Returns to MiamiThe 2026 edition will feature presentations on alternative materials and design trends, as well as pop-up activations on the show floor.
SourcingOct 05, 2026
De Beers to Take Full Ownership of Gahcho KuéIt is the last fully operational diamond mine in Canada following the recent closures of Ekati and Diavik.
CollectionsOct 05, 2026
Sorellina Writes Another Love Letter for ‘Postscript’ CollectionThe fine jewelry brand has expanded the collection that debuted at Couture with four new designs based on its most popular styles.
SourcingOct 05, 2026
Bruce Bridges Joins CIBJO BoardThe AGTA president was elected for a two-year term on the board of directors.
SourcingOct 02, 2026
De Beers, National Geographic Society Renew Okavango Eternal Partnership The partnership, a pledge to protect Africa’s Okavango River Basin, has been extended for an additional five years.
MajorsOct 02, 2026
Pandora Opens New $150M Manufacturing Facility in VietnamThe new facility, its first outside of Thailand, will boost its manufacturing capacity by 50 percent.
TrendsOct 02, 2026
Hearts On Fire Celebrates 30th Anniversary With Heart PendantThe special-edition “Dream” pendant, our Piece of the Week, was created to mark Hearts On Fire’s 30-year milestone with 30 diamonds.
CrimeOct 01, 2026
Police Looking for 4 Suspects in $600K Smash-and-Grab RobberyDubai Jewelers in Springfield, Virginia, was once again the target of an armed robbery.
SurveysOct 01, 2026
Rolex Ranks Among Most Recommended Brands in US, Survey Says YouGov’s 2026 U.S. Most Recommended Brands report’s out, and a fast-fashion giant is sitting at No. 1 while Rolex is just shy of the top 5.
SourcingOct 01, 2026
Columbia Gem House Opens ‘Cutting Toward Change’ FundraiserProceeds from its jewelry raffle will benefit an organization working in India to combat silicosis, a lung disease affecting stone cutters.
TrendsOct 01, 2026
Carolina Hurricanes’ Championship Ring Reveals Hidden Hockey Puck PendantThe rings, crafted by Jason of Beverly Hills, celebrate the hockey team’s Stanley Cup win with design elements that honor its traditions.
