Troilite appears as a dark spot among a meteorite's angular metal patterns. Geologically speaking, it is a rare mineral that is a variety of pyrrhotite. It is widely but sparsely distributed in meteorites, as well as on earth and in lunar soil samples. Iron-containing Octahedrite meteorites such as Gibeon meteorite, which we use for the creation of our meteorite rings, are prone to troilite nodules.
What Is Troilite?
What Does Troilite Look Like?
When troilite is visible in meteorite jewelry, it looks like a dark spot. Shapes and sizes vary, but most troilite nodules are the size of a freckle.
Is Troilite in Meteorite an Imperfection?
This depends entirely on who you ask. And could potentially lead into a highbrow, philosophical argument on what perfection is and if it exists, but we won’t go there. Typically, there are these two schools of thought when it comes to the presence of troilite in meteorite jewelry: you either love it, or hate it. The lovers recognize that nothing is "perfect" and appreciate the troilite’s rarity. They embrace the interruptive presence of a tiny blemish among the beautiful Widmanstatten pattern of the Gibeon meteorite. Perhaps they feel it’s representative of their unions, which aren't flaw-free, but will stand the test of time and space. After all, the irregular and unpredictable nature of the metal patterns are part of what makes meteorite so popular in jewelry, so why would a dark spot be anything to worry about? Detractors, however, prefer to enjoy a blemish-free specimen of space stone inlaid in their jewelry. They would never adopt a three-legged dog and they have unrealistic expectations in life and love. Exaggerations aside, we happily offer a troilite-free meteorite upgrade for all who would prefer to ensure there are no visible troilite deposits in their meteorite jewelry.
How Can You Tell If a Meteorite Has Troilite?
There are exterior qualities of meteorites that are believed to signal a troilite’s presence. If a meteorite has a very rough, pitted exterior, this is usually an indication that it solidified slowly and is likely to have a higher number of troilite nodules that are visible to the naked eye. On the flip side, it’s believed that a meteorite with a comparatively smooth exterior will have fewer, if any, and they will be smaller in size. That said, until we cut a cross-section, shape it into a ring and start to etch it, we can’t definitively tell if a piece of meteorite jewelry will have visible troilite. For this reason, a perfect meteorite upgrade may require a remake or two (which will result in a production delay) until we are able to ensure no presence of visible troilite.
Should You Take a Chance on Troilite?
If you find yourself troilite indifferent, you can forego the troilite-free meteorite upgrade and roll the dice with a meteorite engagement ring or meteorite wedding band. If you prefer no troilite, the odds are in your favor! Most of our rings and other accessories are crafted with pieces of meteorite that ultimately result in no visible troilite nodules. And let's be real, no matter what, you're guaranteed to end up with a one-of-a-kind ring handcrafted from 4 billion year old rock that survived a journey to Earth from outer space.
