Award winning Gold Jewelry By Native American Artists

Metals have been used to make jewelry for centuries, and they often determine a piece’s overall impact, value, durability, and aesthetic. Gold is one of the most highly prized and timeless metals found in treasured pieces around the world, irrespective of culture or tradition. Gold may have started out as a payment method, but it became used in jewelry during Alexander the Great’s time. Gold jewelry continues to captivate the mind and heart of mankind due to its luster, and its universally valued and classic beauty, with some of the most unforgettable pieces handcrafted by talented award winning Native American artists.

Gold is naturally soft and may become deformed, so it is often mixed with other alloy metals like zinc and copper. Many of the popular pieces of gold jewelry by Native American artists are made with 14 karats or 18 karat gold, which are 58.3 percent pure and 75 percent pure respectively. Dina Huntinghorse, known for her themed jewelry, used solid 14k gold to create a bear pendant. The metal is placed over sterling silver to create an incredible contrasting look. Bears are important to the Native American culture, as they represent physical strength, courage, leadership, and protection. A sterling silver heart line runs along the center to represent the animal’s breath and life force.

Arland Ben is another award winning remarkable artist who often incorporates intricate 18k and 14k gold petroglyph images on his pieces. He overlays them on sterling silver to create attractive and one-of-a-kind jewelry. His highly collectible pieces of jewelry often feature the highest-grade natural turquoise stones found in America. An example would be the rare gem grade Candelaria spiderweb and Bisbee turquoise, which he used on a solid 14k gold over sterling silver bolo tie with a petroglyph design. The stunning and unique bolo’s petroglyphs and bolo tips are made of gold.

Insights on Jewelry with Inlay Designs

By definition, inlaying is a decorative method where custom cut stones or gems, like turquoise, lapis lazuli, or coral are set into an unfilled area of a piece of jewelry. The intricacy and design, rarity of the material or materials and the quality of the metals of each inlay piece makes it desirable and collectible. The fine art of inlaying is a technique that is used by many jewelers and artists around the world, including Native Americans who make one-of-a-kind inlay jewelry using precious and semiprecious stones.

Jewelry pieces that feature inlaid gems and stones are lovely alternatives to products that are created using more conventional mounting methods. High-end jewelry with inlay designs is hand-made and hand-carved, making each individual piece highly valuable. The most highly prized pieces display the signature style of their creators, too, thus, adding more value to them. An example would be the Brandon spiderweb turquoise in a colorful inlay bracelet by Vernon Begaye, a Navajo from a traditional silversmithing family on the reservation. The bracelet features a raised inlay, one of the most challenging methods in lapidary arts. Vernon used his masterful silverwork and combined it with his style, resulting in a one-of-a-kind, colorful, and striking piece that features ironwood, lapis, ebony, charoite, spiny oyster shell, chrysophrase, green jade, fresh water pearl, jasper, and calcasiderite. Apache blue and Morenci turquoise are expertly inlaid on the piece.

The finest examples of jewelry with inlay designs are timeless and vintage pieces that are sought-after by collectors. An example of this is the vintage colorful inlay bracelet by Gilbert Nelson. The piece dates to the 1990s and features a dramatic and unique design. The Navajo jeweler used Carico Lake turquoise inlaid with opal, onyx, and coral, creating a vibrant hue.

Boost Your Jewelry Collection with Earrings Designed by Award Winning Native American Artists

As a sophisticated jewelry collector, you are looking for the best jewelry available in the market. Your collection will be enhanced if it contains one-of-a-kind earrings designed and handmade by award winning artists. Some of the highly coveted earrings are made by Native American artists whose creations are inspired by their culture, traditions, and lifestyle. Here is an overview of some of the best selection of earrings by these artists:

• Royston turquoise dangle earrings by Leonard Nez – The artist picked two perfectly matched gems to create a fine pair of earrings. The all-natural cabochons are striking hunter green in hue with a lovely matrix of gold. Each stone is embraced by a hand-chiseled shadowbox, which is signature to Leonard Nez’s work.

• Red web Kingman turquoise earrings by Jennifer Curtis – Considered as masterpieces, these earrings were made out of the artist’s intensive labor as she finely hand-chiseled over 40 teeth along the edges of every stone. Every dental bezel is set on a bright plate to complement the natural beauty of the turquoise. The stone itself is from Arizona’s Kingman mine.

• Sterling silver bead earrings by Alfred Joe – The artist crafted these earrings by hand. He made the fine beads and strung three types. The fluted center is strung between large and small highly polished beads. The result is fine accessories that can go with any wardrobe and add value your jewelry collection.

• Number Eight spiderweb turquoise Ingot dangle earrings by Sammie Kescoli Begay – The artist chose perfectly matched Number 8 turquoise gems, resulting in a timeless pair of earrings that continues to represent the mine. The stones are seated in handmade bezels and embraced by a small layer of silver droplets. The border is striking with fine, detailed stampwork. Despite their size, they are surprisingly comfortable to wear.

Every time you buy earrings designed by award winning Native American artists, make sure that they come with a certificate of authenticity to assure you of the artist’s name and tribal affiliation. The certification should assure you of the item’s value and the materials the artists used to make each piece, too.