Gold plating a nickel-iron meteorite

i’ve made a pendant and the centre piece is a nickle-iron meteorite
disc about 15 mm dia. i havent set the disc in as it had a blotchy
light rust mark on it, and used 2000 grit to get the rust off and in
doing so lost the hieroglyphic crystalline etchings and had to re
etch the piece. i would like to gold plate the piece if meteorite to
protect it from rust without losing the etchings. i would appreciate
any advice or guidance on this subject. cheers. gerard wani.