Luxury Wallets from Pennsylvania
By Emma Riva and Keith Recker
Eduardo Sande, founder of luxury wallet line Bejeti, brings his engineering background to the development of unique and innovative wallets. His products include the world’s first and only wallet crafted from a 4-billion-year-old planetary core (iron meteorite). He shares some thoughts with TABLE Editor in Chief Keith Recker ahead of his exclusive, one-day-only trunk show at Henne Jewelers on May 3, 2025.
TABLE: What got you started with Bejeti? How was this idea born?
Eduardo Sande: I’ve always had a deep appreciation for American manufacturing and the beauty of rare materials. My background is in chemical engineering and operations, particularly in steel forging and machining. I developed a strong connection to the process of shaping raw materials into something extraordinary.
The idea for Bejeti wasn’t born from a traditional design background. It came from a desire to create something the world had never seen before. A wallet is something people carry every day, yet it’s rarely an opportunity for artistry and innovation. Bejeti is my way of reimagining that—bringing together engineering, design, and materials with deep stories to tell.
Do you make these yourself in your metal shop? If not, where are they made and by whom?
Each Bejeti wallet undergoes a meticulous machining process in our partner’s Pittsburgh-based shop, where we have custom tooling and fixturing dedicated to bringing these designs to life. While I conceptualize and design every wallet, their execution requires an exceptional level of precision carried out by master machinists and metalworkers. We work with a combination of highly skilled artisans and advanced manufacturing techniques to ensure that every piece isn’t just functional. It’s an heirloom object.
Are you the designer?
Yes, I design and conceptualize every Bejeti piece. It all starts with a material that fascinates me—something with history, rarity, or a story. Sometimes it’s a process that pushes the limits of what’s possible. Other times, it’s about reimagining how a material can be experienced in everyday life.
I collaborate with incredible blacksmiths, goldsmiths, and metalsmiths across the U.S., which allows me to experiment and bring together materials in ways that haven’t been done before. Whether it’s shaping a meteorite that has traveled through space for billions of years or working with hand-forged Damascus steel, my goal is always to create something that feels both deeply intentional and entirely unique.
Who’s the customer? How do you see them embracing this concept?
The Bejeti client is someone who values craftsmanship, exclusivity, and materials with a deeper story. Our wallets attract collectors, trendsetters, and those who curate their personal style with intention. They appreciate artistry and innovation over trends.
Please tell me the story of one of the designs—the material, the process, the look.
One of my favorite designs is KOTHAR, made from CopperMai, a material that pushes the limits of traditional Damascus steel. Copper and steel aren’t natural companions in the forging world. Their different melting points and structural properties make them resistant to bonding. That challenge was exactly what drew me in.
I worked with a skilled blacksmith here in the U.S. to develop a forging process exclusively for Bejeti. The goal was to create a fusion of steel and copper—two metals with distinct characteristics—without delaminating or compromising the softer, ancient orange metal. Achieving this required precise temperature control, expert hammering techniques, and an understanding of how these materials behave under extreme conditions.
What’s the end result?
The result is a stunning ripple-forged pattern where the rich, warm glow of copper contrasts against the deep resilience of steel. Every layer tells a story of craftsmanship, precision, and the balance between strength and fluidity. No two patterns are ever the same, making each KOTHAR wallet a one-of-a-kind piece that blends industrial ingenuity with artistic expression.
Another design that fascinates me is PLANETESIMAL, crafted from iron-nickel meteorite. Holding it, you’re literally touching something that has traveled through space for billions of years—a fragment of the cosmos shaped by forces beyond our world. The meteorite’s Widmanstätten pattern, a natural interlacing of metal crystals, is something that can only form over millions of years in the vacuum of space.
Transforming this ancient material into a wallet is no simple task. It requires careful machining to preserve its unique structure while making it functional. Every piece carries its own cosmic fingerprint—no two are alike. It’s more than just a wallet—it’s a reminder of how vast the universe is, and how incredible it is to carry a piece of that story in your pocket.
