Platinum

From prehistory to princesses and pop divas - the story of platinum, the so-called 'new metal' is much longer than you would think. Meteorites contain platinum and the earliest recorded meteorite impact on Earth happened 2 billion years ago. Since then, this rare and beguiling treasure has made sporadic appearances throughout history, mysteriously disappearing for centuries at a time, both baffling and enchanting those who have come across it. The Ancient Egyptians, pre-Incan civilizations and the Spanish conquistadors all encountered platinum. It then re-emerged in the 1700s to fascinate kings and alchemists alike. Platinum grew in popularity in the 19th and 20th centuries and today it is the precious metal of choice of movie stars and the glitterati.

Two billion years ago, long before the age of dinosaurs, when life on this planet is nothing more than simple bacteria, an enormous meteorite crashes to Earth in North America. This is the earliest known meteorite impact. Meteorites are the product of a supernova - an explosion of an enormous star (the remnants of a supernova are pictured here) and are rich in metals such as platinum. 1200 BC - The Egyptians import gold, which contains traces of platinum, from the ancient kingdom of Nubia. They make jewelry and adornments from the metal mix. Although no-one knows if their use of platinum is intentional.700 BC - the daughter of the King of Thebes, the great high priestess Shepenupet, is buried in a magnificent sarcophagus decorated with gold and platinum hieroglyphics.

A small document casket made of platinum (pictured here) is also placed in her tomb. 100 BC - Ancient South American civilizations, the most famous being the Incas - gifted metal workers and craftsmen, use platinum and gold to create nose rings and other items of ceremonial jewelry. Platinum is then lost to mankind for two millennia, forgotten for thousands of years, only to briefly re-appear when European explorers discover the new world. 1590 - Platinum is next encountered by the Spanish conquistadores, who give it the derogatory name 'platinum', meaning 'little silver'. Spanish naval officer don Antonio de Ulloa y Garcia de la torre was one of the conquistadores to misunderstand the value of platinum. Thirsty for gold, and unimpressed by platinum's appearance, the Spanish mistakenly dismiss it as an inferior metal and throw it back into the rivers of Ecuador to 'ripen'. Once again, platinum mysteriously disappears from history.

1751 - When Swedish scientist Theophil Scheffer categorizes Platinum as a precious metal it's only a matter of time before it falls into favor with royalty. In the 1780s King Louis XVI of France declares it the only metal fit for kings and, his jeweler Marc Etienne Janety fashions several platinum pieces for him, including an ornate sugar bowl. 1788 - Not to be outdone by his French counterpart, King Carlos III of Spain, another platinum enthusiast, commissions Francisco Alonso to craft an ornate platinum chalice, which is presented to Pope Pius VI. The chalice is 12 in (30 cm) high, such a magnificent piece is worth around $75,000 at today's prices. 1795 - In the wake of the French revolution, France creates the metric system of weights and measures. King Louis XVI's former jeweler, Marc Etienne Janety, who fled during the revolution, is recalled to Paris to create the standard kilogram weight out of platinum. Platinum is the metal of choice for the task, as its durability means it will not wear away and corrupt the standard. This original platinum cylinder is kept at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Paris.