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.