Artfully detailed, featherlight hummingbirds flit joyfully about, flashing their exhilarating hues. Very special birds deserve a very special material: they are crafted from niobium, a natural element and semiprecious metal that is extremely strong, lightweight, and hypoallergenic. Hummingbird shapes are cut with a water jet, lasered with the details, and treated in a saltwater bath with an electrical current running through it to oxidize the metal with permanent, vibrant colors of iridescent green, blue, and yellow.