Native American Indian Jewelry and Turquoise Jewelry at Skystone Trading

go to Pueblo Zuni & Santo Domingo Jewelry

Skystone specializes in high-quality, hand-fabricated silver jewelry set with rare, historic, natural American Turquoise. The selection changes weekly with new listings added to the page most appropriate to its design and style, see below for a more detailed explanation.
The jewelry you see on this site is all carefully hand-chosen, handmade by the most talented, and award-winning Native Americans and Anglo jewelers working in New Mexico today. With the different styles of Native American and turquoise jewelry available, it was decided to separate them into five distinct pages based on style, artist and overall logic. We hope it's easy to navigate and find what you're looking for. If you see something you want to 'bookmark' per se, use the Add to Favorites button and you'll have your own private folder on the website of special pieces you want to watch and come back to.

Traditional Jewelry Page" Traditional Navajo design, craftsmanship and style. Most are set with rare, exotic and historic Turquoise. Also shown here could be pieces with Meditteranean Red Coral and/or Purple Sugilite, Spiney Oyster Shell, Gaspeite and The style will be generally heavier silver pieces with larger stones. The stones come from old collections and mines that no longer exist. We can say with confidence that many (if not most) of these pieces are one-of-a-kind and cannot be found anywhere else in the world and cannot be duplicated.
The Pueblo Jewelry Page Specifically the Zuni Pueblo and the nearby Santo Domingo Pueblo. The Zuni Jewelry on this page will be traditional petit-point and needlepoint designs in turquoise and coral; smaller stones set finely in silver. Also on this page is a wonderful selection of hand-made Authentic Heishe necklaces from the Santo Domingo Pueblo. For a detailed description about what goes in to making these necklaces, see our All About Heishe Page.
Contemporary Jewelry Page:Contemporary designed jewelry with Opal, Sugilite, Lapis and Turquoise or other exotic stones using inlay, modern designs, and usually finished with a high polish. These pieces can be from Navajo, Zuni or Hopi artisans or some of the creative, non-native artists working in Santa Fe and surrounding area.
Showcase Page Here you'll find some of the finest quality Inlaywork and semi-precious beadwork being made today. By premier jewelers here in Santa Fe and the Southwest. Items can be set in gold on this page.
Skystone Gift Ideas Under $200 Everything on the website that is priced under $200 is listed on this page. Items may also be elsewhere on the site under another category, but organized here for easy viewing.

JEWELRY CARE:
The small percentage of turquoise which is very hard and of a pleasing color has a high value. It is this stone, which is hard enough to cut and polish to a high luster in its natural state, that is used in the higher quality Indian Jewelry.
In even the hardest turquoise, deposits collecting in the pores of the stone can cause a color change. Therefore, care should be taken to protect the stones from oils, grease and chemicals. Always remove rings and bracelets before washing dishes or doing dirty work. Hand lotion can change the color of a stone. Also, it is wise to avoid the use of chemical silver polishes with Indian Jewelry.
There are several types of cloths and pads which are acceptable for polishing your jewelry. We will have these cloths available if requested.
With Navajo or Zuni set jewelry, it's a good idea to check the stones in your jewelry periodically for loosening. A stone can feel looser in its bezel after hitting something. To tighten your stones, press the stone down firmly with your thumb and with the side of a nickel (or any smooth-sided coin) burnish (or rub) the silver bezel back and forth towards the center of the stone. This should be enough to tighten your stones sufficiently. The reason why you press down on the center of the stone is because that with most Indian Jewelry, Navajo in particular, the stones are not glued but are set in atop a bed of sawdust to cushion any blows. You want to 'seat' the stone in the sawdust before tightening the bezel so it won't be prone to wobbling.
As with an other fine jewelry, exercise care in protecting your investment and your selection of authentic Indian Jewelry will bring you enjoyment for years to come. Is there some area of jewelry care that we aren't addressing? Please send us an email how we can make this page more informative.
REPAIRS:
Bracelets and rings can take a beating. If you lose or crack a stone from a piece of your Zuni Jewelry we can get it repaired on one of our weekly trips to Zuni, usually in one day. Total return time will be approximately two weeks or sooner. Repairs usually run $5.00 - $8.00 per stone + shipping. Ring sizing can be done here in Santa Fe for $20. (The stone needs to come out before the sizing is done and then reset' in the bezel.)
With regard to the Turquoise bracelets we have listed on the Traditional Jewelry Pages, it cannot be overemphasized how much material it takes to make one bracelet: how many stones have to be cut and shaped to find even five or six of the same size, shape and color that will make one matching bracelet. Also how rare it is to have all this material set in only one bracelet, instead of cut into thin slices, backed and made into ten bracelets.
Only purists who love the stones (above the profit) will create these works of art. Every single high-grade turquoise bracelet we have on the site is one-of-a-kind and cannot be duplicated. They will just get better with wear and love and be beautiful five, ten, even one hundred years from now.

We deal in authentic American Indian Arts and are a member in good standing of the Indian Arts and Crafts Association. Members are knowledgeable of the Indian arts and crafts they sell and agree to honestly represent their merchandise. Concerned about buying Authentic Indian Jewelry? We have an area on the website that offers Consumer Buying Tips to help you discern between fakes and the real thing.
At any time you can Search for specific items such as Bracelets, Earrings, Turquoise etc. using the Search Box on the top-right of every page. Have Fun Looking!

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