Gibeon Spheres

Once a popular favorite among collectors, this essential iron meteorite has all but disappeared from the marketplace and captivating examples such as these spheres generate interest. First recorded in 1836 in the Namib Desert in Western Namibia, the Gibeon iron was part of a massive and ancient fall. No crater has ever been found, but specimens have been recovered from a very large area. A long sojourn in the desert has resulted in surfaces taking on a rich and attractive natural patina that ranges from ocher, to red, to copper.

Gibeon is a medium octahedrite and it displays a complex and beautiful Widmanstätten pattern when cut and etched in the lab. Combine the appeal of its etch pattern with its exceptional stability and minimal rusting and you have relentless demand from jewelers and watchmakers. Many Gibeons were cut up in order to fashion rings, wristwatch faces, and even guitar picks. Thus this marvelous and beautiful meteorite has become increasingly more difficult for us to obtain.