NM08 - Jewelry — Wearable Art

Looking to take home some Native couture? Native American-made jewelry offers an authentic, timeless souvenir created by loving hands.

You’ll feel like you’re wearing a piece of the New Mexico sky when you select a necklace or ring that sports the state’s crown jewel — turquoise, the “sky stone.” Women will discover that polished silver concho (shell design) belts look fantastic paired with their favorite jeans or a breezy broomstick skirt. Accessorize your wardrobe with clinking silver bracelets, turquoise and silver earrings, and even fanciful toe rings.

Men will also discover an amazing array of jewelry. Guys will find it hard to resist sporting New Mexico’s official state tie — the bolo. This sporty, classic tie dresses up even a simple Oxford. Silver and turquoise watchbands, cowboy hat bands, cuff links, and rings are simple and refined ways for men to sport a bit of the Southwest. Even silver-stamped guitar picks and golf ball tees can be found.

You can buy Indian jewelry everywhere, but you’ll find the greatest selection in galleries and shops in Gallup, Farmington, Albuquerque’s Old Town, Santa Fe, and Taos. Buy directly from the jewelers under the Palace of the Governors portal on the Santa Fe Plaza, or go straight to the source and shop at the pueblos. To get the best selection of award-winning pieces you’ll want to go early to Santa Fe’s Indian Market in August and the Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial, also in August.

If you’re a novice or interested in collecting important pieces, you’ll want to seek the advice of long-time traders, top gallery and museum shop personnel. An original one-of-a-kind piece should be signed or carry a designation of the artist who created the jewelry, as well as the individual’s tribal affiliation. Turquoise should be a real stone — not plastic or molded turquoise chalk. It is illegal in New Mexico for a seller to represent jewelry as Native made when it isn’t. Zuni Pueblo artists are so copied that a village in the Philippines changed its name to Zuni so it could export its jewelry as “Zuni” made.

While Native Americans create a variety of pieces, certain tribes have received distinction for their classic styles. You’ll find striking silverwork and squash-blossom necklaces on the Navajo Nation. If delicate inlay work or the thin strands of stones called needlepoint catch your eye, then you’ll want a piece from a Zuni Pueblo jeweler. The Zunis are also known for their miniature carved animals called fetishes. Santo Domingo’s people have gained acclaim for their bold use of large chunks of turquoise. They and Cochiti Pueblo artisans are also known for their heishi necklaces made of ground shells, coral, and turquoise.

And demonstrating that Native American jewelry is a living, ever-expanding art, contemporary Indian artists offer creations in gold with diamonds, and nontraditional stones such as deep purple sugalite and dark blue hues of lapis lazuli.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions when you are shopping — Native artists will appreciate your concern for wanting the real deal. The best advice is to buy something you love, knowing that your purchase supports creative Native American artists, and will be cherished by you and those it’s passed on to.

Emily Drabanski is special projects director at New Mexico Magazine and has authored and contributed to several books, including The Allure of Turquoise.