Pueblo Chelles - specialists in Turquoise Jewelry |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Native American Jewelry Native American Jewelry is a term that is used to describe unique designs of sterling silver jewelry that feature turquoise and other gemstones set into distinctive settings which portray a life style of the Native American Tribes of the United States. These pieces of jewelry are artwork which are meant to convey the good wishes and hopes of the artist to the purchaser and carry deep spiritual meanings. Each piece is carefully hand made by skilled artisians and silversmiths carrying on a tradition passed on from generation to generation. Native American Jewelry that we, at Pueblo Chelles Southwestern Jewelry, proudly offer to our customers, is handmade by the Zuni from the Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico, the Hopi from the 2nd Mesa in Arizona, and the Navajo from Arizona and New Mexico. Native American Sterling Silver has a silver content of .925 purity alloyed with .075 copper. Hopi Silversmiths use pure silver. There is no nickle used in any Native American jewelry sold on this site. SOME TERMS USED IN NATIVE AMERICAN JEWELRY APPLIQUE Sterling silver cutouts are soldered to sterling silver jewelry SAND CAST Melted sterling silver poured into a sand mold to form a distinctive jewelry design CLUSTER Small, shaped stones set close together in a circular pattern. Usually, Zuni design, but also Navajo CONCH A round or oval decorated piece of sterling silver usually found with stamp work. FETISH A handcarved bird, animal, or person. HALLMARK Cast, engraved or stamped artist's signature or symbol HEISHI Hand rolled beads. INLAY Handcut gemstone cut, shaped and set into silver, either raised or level with the surface of the silver. MATRIX The veins in turquoise NAJA The crescent pendant that hangs from a squash blossom. Fashioned after the bridles and armor of the early Spanish explorers NEEDLEPOINT Turquoise or other gemstones cut with two pointed ends like these Zuni Needlepoint Turquoise Sterling Silver Earrings OVERLAY A design is hand cut in the top layer of silver and then that top layer of silver is soldered onto a second layer of silver and the inside of the design oxidized to show up black against the polished silver (see Hopi) OXIDIZE Using a chemical agent to blacken silver for accent in a sterling silver or silver piece PETITPOINT Turquoise or another stone cut to a uniform size with one end rounded and the other end pointed. Zuni Sterling Silver Petit Point Coral Cluster Pendant SQUASH BLOSSOM A silver bead with splayed ends representing a blossom or sometimes a pineapple. STAMP Designs punched into sterling silver by hand using metal working tools. |
|
View our RSS Feeds
|
At Pueblo Chelles Southwestern Jewelry you can find a wide range of genuine native american handmade jewelry from the American Southwest. Many items are one of a kind designed and handmade by Navajo, Zuni, and hopi artists. We specialise in amber jewelry, amber silver jewelry and have an outstanding selection of southwest turquoise jewelry, gold jewelry, gold turquoise jewelry, inlay jewelry, silver jewelry, handmade silver jewelry in contemporary styles at an affordable price. Supporting Native American jewelers, Pueblo Chelles Southwestern Jewelry has handmade silver jewellery, Navajo indian jewellery and jet black onyx jewellery by well known artists and silversmiths such as Calvin Begay, L Bruce Hodgins, Teresa Aenio, Charlene Dishta, Spencer, Bowannie, Raymie Namingha and other native american silversmiths and artists. Our extensive range of authentic southwestern jewelry, hand crafted by Native American artists allows you to quickly and easily purchase items such as opal and turquoise rings by Amy Wesley Quandalacy; Navajo sterling silver jewelry by Teresa Aenio; Navajo sterling silver jewelry with jasper, turquoise and jade by L Bruce Hodgins and stunning inlay jewelry by Calvin Begay. |
|
 |