French artisan makes knives from meteorites, priced up to Rs 6.9 lakh each

The unusual craft of a French artisan is drawing attention. Joris Domarest makes knives from meteorites, the rocks that fall to Earth from the sky. It is hard to predict what idea may strike someone, but Domarest has turned the idea of making knives from meteorites into reality.

Domarest is an artisan from France's Eure region. He shapes the metals obtained from meteorites into striking and distinctive knives. Meteorites chiefly contain metals such as iron and nickel. These metals are cast properly and given the form of a knife. Every meteorite has a different structure, so the objects made from it also look different.

The knives are beyond the reach of the ordinary buyer. A knife handmade by Domarest costs 5,000 to 6,000 euros, which works out to roughly Rs 5.3 lakh to Rs 6.9 lakh. Despite the high price, there is demand for such items. Collectors and customers with a taste for rare objects buy them. What sets the knives apart is not just their use but also the history of space and the artisan's skill behind them.

Enthusiasts buy them in appreciation of the artist's craft. Also, with changing attitudes, owning such an expensive and rare item is bought as a social marker of wealth.

Making something from a meteorite is considered more challenging than ordinary blacksmithing. It requires a special study of the metal's structure, its temperature and the process of forging. The metal can be given the desired shape only with the right technique. Because of the structure of the meteorite's natural metals, the finished pieces can also show a distinct pattern and surface. This gives each knife its own identity.

Combining science, history and traditional craftsmanship, the art is drawing attention in France.