There aren't many things in this world (or out of it!) more beautiful than a falling star.
Falling stars, which are actually showers of falling meteorites, are one of the most mesmerizing and romantic views that the night sky has to offer. They even say that making a wish on one will make your dreams come true!
Plus, a ton of good luck and positive associations are attached to the meteorites themselves — just look at this spectacular ancient Egyptian dagger made from a fallen piece of meteorite.
Maybe that's why one young man decided to take the lucky, romantic myth of the falling star to its logical conclusion: as an engagement ring for the woman he hoped would become his wife.
In an impressive display of DIY know-how, he built the perfect ring from scratch, using only his own skills, and a piece of the celestial metal that many meteorites are made of.
Scroll through below for a look at his incredible craftsmanship, and the response to his big question!
Popping the question is a big moment in any relationship. One man decided to take his proposal up a notch by making the ring himself!
He documented the whole process on the image-sharing site Imgur, under the handle chadmanx.
He shows every step of the process, starting with this authentic meteorite, purchased online for around $140 — a true bargain compared to the price of the average engagement ring!
From there, he whittled the meteorite into the shape of a ring, beginning with the inner circle.
Meteorites are usually made of iron-nickel compounds, and often also include some precious metals like gold and iridium, among other minerals.
He used a drill to bore straight through the middle of the meteorite, accidentally getting a bit too close to the edge in the process.
"I wasn't paying close enough attention and forgot that the bottom most outer edge of the rock slanted inward," he explains. "The wall of the ring became too thin and the wall flapped."
Despite getting a bit too close to the edge on one side, he realized he could still salvage the ring and keep the thin part of the ring as a spectacular live-edge feature.
Once he had carved away the inside of the ring, he began to cut away the exterior of the meteorite, slowly smoothing it down to the shape of a ring.
Before long, he had a beautiful ring of raw metal, pictured here on his pinky finger.
Still, there was a long way to go before the ring would be ready for his bride-to-be.
Most importantly, he needed to sand and file away the rough edges still left on the inside of the ring.
He explains that the sanding and shaping of the ring probably took the most time — the whole project was completed over the course of two months — because progress moves slowly during the painstaking process of sanding away rough edges.
He burnished almost all of the ring to a shining finish, with just a few small imperfections left behind, which ultimately became some of his favorite details.
"I wasn't sure what to do about it and decided to leave it and see what happens," he writes. "This would actually turn into my favorite part of the ring pattern."
Once the sanding was finished and the ring was smoothed, he finished off the ring by etching it to reveal the meteorite's natural pattern.
In the end, its a gleaming, slightly burnished ring, and it's set apart by the unique detail of the meteorite's live edge — the spot where the ring was drilled too narrow, and couldn't be smoothed and sanded in the same way.
To etch the ring, he used acid to bring out the natural texture of the celestial metal.
But, as he rightfully points out, "An engagement ring isn't complete until it's accepted and worn!"
Fortunately, his proposal — and the unique jewelry that came with it — seems to have completely wowed his bride-to-be.
"Most importantly, she loves it!" he notes. "And she loves that I made it."
He adds: "She's not a fan of diamonds, so I didn't attach a gem to it. Maybe she'll decide to later, but for now, it's perfect!"
What do you think of this spectacular and unique ring? Let us know in the comments and don't forget to SHARE this cool idea with friends and family.
