The Cross

Forged from authenticated meteorite — material over 4.5 billion years old.

✓ Catalogued in the Meteoritical Bulletin Database
✓ Signed numbered Certificate of Authenticity
✓ Free signed worldwide shipping

£130.00

Free worldwide shipping

Low stock · 4 of 50 remain

Hand-finished in small batches.

MATERIAL

Aletai is an iron meteorite first recovered in 1898 from the Altay region of northern Xinjiang, China. Its impact site has yielded the longest meteorite strewn field ever documented — over 74 tonnes of cosmic iron — and the class was officially named in 2016.

The crystalline Widmanstätten pattern visible across the surface formed in deep space over four and a half billion years and cannot be reproduced on Earth. Every cross-section is unique to the slice it was cut from.

The Aletai face is set into a brushed titanium-grade steel frame on a heavy cable chain.

Classification: Aletai (IIIE-an iron meteorite, coarse octahedrite)
Location: Altay, Xinjiang, China
First recovered: 1898 — class officially named 2016
Total recovered mass: 74 tonnes
Catalogued in the Meteoritical Bulletin Database.

THE OBJECT

A devotional shape carried by men for two thousand years. The Cross renders it in its oldest form — equal arms, heavy proportions, no ornament.

The face of the piece is forged from authenticated Aletai meteorite, an iron mass that fell to Earth in the Altay region of northern Xinjiang, China. The first fragment of the strewn field was recovered in 1898; the Aletai class was officially named in 2016 after further fragments were classified. The Aletai impact created the longest meteorite strewn field ever documented on this planet, scattering more than 74 tonnes of cosmic iron across the Chinese steppe (Meteoritical Bulletin entry).

The meteorite sits inside a polished titanium-grade steel frame, smoothed at the edges so the crystalline Widmanstätten pattern of the iron carries the eye. That pattern formed in deep space over four and a half billion years, cooling at one degree per million years. It cannot be reproduced by any process available on Earth.

Suspended from a polished cable chain. Signed certificate of authenticity. Heavier than the size suggests. No two alike.

THE CRAFT

One pair of hands. Cut to finish. Never split between artisans, never automated.

Meteoritic iron is three times harder to work than terrestrial steel. The raw slice is shaped, then etched in dilute nitric acid for the precise interval that surfaces the Widmanstätten pattern without softening its edges. Hand-polished, set, finished against a leather wheel. Hours per piece. No two faces are identical — the lattice inside the meteorite never is.

We don't source from suppliers who can't name the meteorite by its registered classification. We don't produce in volumes that compromise the work of the bench.

Slow work. Made by hand. In numbers small enough to remember.

APPROXIMATE DIMENSIONS
Pendant: 30mm × 18.5mm
Includes free matching titanium chain (55cm)
Materials: Aletai iron meteorite, polished titanium-grade steel

Frequently asked questions

Every Vault Tag is forged from genuine Aletai meteorite (IIIE-an iron meteorite, recovered 1898 in China, classified 2016). It is officially registered in the Meteoritical Bulletin Database — the international scientific registry maintained by the Meteoritical Society. Each piece ships with a signed, numbered Certificate of Authenticity recording the exact source and classification. You can verify the details yourself via the link in the product description.

Raw iron meteorite would — which is why we don't sell it raw. The etched face is sealed beneath rhodium plating, one of the most inert metals there is: it doesn't rust, tarnish, or react with sweat. It's the same treatment that protects white-gold wedding rings through decades of daily wear, and it's invisible — the pattern shows through untouched. Wear it daily, under a shirt, through a workout. The only things to avoid are long soaks, chlorine and salt water. And if the face ever dulls under normal wear, send it back — restoration is covered for life.

Every meteorite slice carries its own natural internal structure — whether the striking Widmanstätten crystalline pattern in iron meteorites or the distinctive olivine crystal flecks in pallasites. These features form only in deep space over millions of years and cannot be replicated on Earth. Because each slice is different, no two pieces are exactly alike. Your jewellery is hand-forged and finished by a single artisan in small batches and arrives with its own signed numbered Certificate of Authenticity.

Yes — they're designed for daily wear. The heavier cable chain sits comfortably flat against the chest, under or over a shirt. Each piece is rhodium-plated, sealing the meteorite's surface against rust under normal conditions. We'd still recommend removing it before swimming or showering — with that simple care, it will keep its character and sharp Widmanstätten pattern for years.

Free worldwide shipping (signed and fully insured). Orders dispatch within 1–3 business days. UK delivery: 3–5 business days from dispatch. Most international destinations: 4–6 business days. Full tracking is sent the moment your piece ships.

30-day returns — If it doesn’t suit, return the unworn piece in its original packaging with the certificate for a full refund (email us for instructions; refund processed within 10 business days of inspection).
Lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.