2009 July | Native Jewelry

A Great Summer Look

In the hot summertime, nothing is cooler than wearing white clothes. The darker your clothes are, the hotter you will be because your dark clothes will absorb heat. White clothes, on the other had, reflect sunlight, and also just look cute in the summer. Turquoise jewelry looks especially striking and summery when worn with white clothing, so invest in some handmade Native American turquoise jewelry for the summer.

To really allow your jewelry to stand out, dress simply and let your turquoise jewelry make a statement. Try a white v-neck T-shirt and a denim skirt with a beautiful turquoise necklace, bracelet or ring. This look especially works with extra large pieces of jewelry, since the outfit is simple enough that the jewelry doesn’t overwhelm it. If you have blue eyes, a large turquoise necklace will make them look brighter and more vibrant, surely drawing compliments from all your friends. And no matter what, your turquoise jewelry will always be unique – no two turquoise stones are exactly the same and the natural streaks, lines and markings that you see on any given stone will set it apart from any other.

Please submit your infmormation below to be added to our e-mail list

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Street:

City:

State:

ZIP Code:

international address:

We respect your email privacy

Posted by JewelryHoarder (July 28, 2009) | add comment | Comments (0)

Kokopelli- Hopi Tradition

The Kokopelli was a flute playing trickster of Southwest legend. The famous hunchbacked flute player, is a symbol of joy and fertility It is said that he was so charming that he could charm an eagle or the wind itself. He is one of the most intriguing and widespread images surviving from ancient Anasazi Indian mythology, and is a prominent figure in Hopi legends. The figure represents a mischievous trickster or the Minstrel, spirit of music. Kokopelli is considered a symbol of fertility who brought well-being to the people, assuring success in hunting, planting and growing crops, and human conception. This mythological creature is thousands of years old but oh so much in the present also. Wearing a piece of Native American Jewelry with a Kokopelli featured surely could be called a good luck charm

Please submit your infmormation below to be added to our e-mail list

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Street:

City:

State:

ZIP Code:

international address:

We respect your email privacy

Posted by Silversmith (July 24, 2009) | add comment | Comments (0)

The Great American Buffalo

No creature stood closer to the Great Spirit than the buffalo. Relying as they did on the flesh, skin, and bones of that animal for almost everything they needed - be it food, clothing, shelter, or tools - the people of the Plains addressed prayers directly to the generous buffalo, confident that the animal would serve as their intermediary with the Great Spirit. Those prayers brought many blessings. The sacred peace pipe was given to their ancestors by White Buffalo Calf Woman, a beautiful maiden who, after teaching the Sioux how to use the pipe changed herself into a white buffalo calf.
POWER…STRENGTH…PROSPERITY.
It is told that the spirit of the buffalo–will return to reunite the people, thereby mending the Sacred Hoop, which has no ending and no beginning. This will be a time for the prophecies to come together, for people of all colors to understand about Mother Earth, and to have respect for each others nations. This will be a time for healing. It’s no wonder that the native artists of our time use this extraordinary creature in many of their native american jewelry.

Please submit your infmormation below to be added to our e-mail list

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Street:

City:

State:

ZIP Code:

international address:

We respect your email privacy

Posted by Silversmith (July 21, 2009) | add comment | Comments (0)

Navajo tradition and modern art

Ancient tradition holds that certain metals have medicinal qualities. Silver is intuition, beauty and spiritual healing. Valued since the dawn of time as a store of wealth, gold continues to be the most solid medium of exchange in the world. The western states have seen many gold rushes…California in 1849, Colorado in 1859, the Yukon in 1897, and the latest gold rush of the 1980s and 1990s with its huge surface mines in the old gold mining camps of the western U.S. The United States is once again one of the largest producers of gold in the world,
The Navajo were the first of the southwestern Indians to produce jewelry that required metal working. Around 1850 a Navajo Medicine Man, Atsidi Sani, convinced a Mexican blacksmith to teach him the art of working with metal. When the Navajo returned to their homeland in 1868 after their imprisonment at Fort Sumner, New Mexico, traders arrived in the area bringing silver coins with them. It was with these coins that the Navajo began to make silver jewelry. In 1884, two Mexican silversmiths were employed by the Hubbell Trading Post to teach Navajos how to solder and work with silver. We still have awesome work done by the navajo tribes including native american earrings native american necklaces and native american bracelets

Please submit your infmormation below to be added to our e-mail list

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Street:

City:

State:

ZIP Code:

international address:

We respect your email privacy

Posted by Silversmith (July 20, 2009) | add comment | Comments (0)

Where do those earrings come from?

Throughout history, there have been many superstitious beliefs surrounding the origin of earrings, which include Post Earrings. According to legend, evil spirits had the ability to enter the body through any of its openings and take control of it; therefore, the first pair of earrings was probably worn to prevent these spirits from entering ones body. Another story of folklore regarding pierced earrings was that they would help to improve poor eyesight. One gold earring and one silver earring when worn together by an individual could cure headaches. Pirates and sailors wore one earring if they had survived a shipwreck. Some historians believe piercing was done to punish someone for eavesdropping, and the earring was inserted as a consolation for pain and suffering.
In 2500 B.C., only those who had wealth or royal lineage could afford expensive jewelry. During the Dark Ages and Middle Ages, women were most often too poor to own earrings, and up until the end of the Renaissance Period, earrings were looked upon as inappropriate for proper women. Today, post earrings are the perfect finishing touch to any outfit and make a fashion statement. There are post earrings for all occasions, including work, the board room, casual outings, formal occasions, or a day at the beach.

The collection of Post Earrings includes gemstones of Turquoise, Coral, and Opal as well as other stones which are included in a great collection of turquoise jewelery . The mineral Turquoise is a copper aluminium phosphate with a hardness of 6, which is softer than quartz. When found in its natural state, it occurs in a range of hues from sky blue to grey-green, and its found in places where there is a high concentration of copper in the soil. Turquoise is only really considered turquoise in the very best quality when the color is paler, bluish-green, or greenish. Blue turquoise is created by copper, green turquoise by bivalent iron and a certain amount of chrome. Turquoise occurs in the mines in veins, crevices, or in the form of nuggets. The largest deposits are in the USA, Mexico, Israel, Iran, Afghanistan, and China.

Please submit your infmormation below to be added to our e-mail list

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Street:

City:

State:

ZIP Code:

international address:

We respect your email privacy

Posted by Silversmith (July 17, 2009) | add comment | Comments (0)

Jet-The funeral Gem

Jet, also known as “Black Amber”, is typically made from a compact velvet lignite coal that was formed from tree fossils. The chemical composition is mainly carbon with touches of oxygen and hydrogen. It is used as a gemstone due to its ability to be well polished.

Jet was worn by the people of the Victorian era as a gemstone of mourning due to the loss of Prince Albert.

From that time on, Jet has been the primary gemstone for almost all mourning jewelry. Jet can be naturally found in England, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, and the U.S.

Please submit your infmormation below to be added to our e-mail list

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Street:

City:

State:

ZIP Code:

international address:

We respect your email privacy

Posted by Silversmith (July 16, 2009) | add comment | Comments (0)

Eagles - Magestic Birds

To Native Americans, the eagle embodied not only ferocity but also purity, for it flew high in the atmosphere, where the air was clearest - and where, in the belief of many Indians, the Great Spirit resided. Those who wished to ask something of the Great Spirit sometimes sent their message by way of the eagle spirit. Some believe birds to be symbols of the soul, as well as intermediaries to the gods. Seeking their cooperation, Native Americans have plied bird spirits with offerings and performed dances to honor and beseech them. Pleas are sent skyward in the smoke of burning tobacco. Feathers are often considered the most potent part of the bird and are passed down as cherished symbols of the power bestowed by those creatures that soar in the lofty realms where many of the gods dwell.

It is really no wonder then that Native American Earrings feature eagles in one form or another

Please submit your infmormation below to be added to our e-mail list

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Street:

City:

State:

ZIP Code:

international address:

We respect your email privacy

Posted by Silversmith (July 15, 2009) | add comment | Comments (0)

Not all that glitters is silver

Before you clean, know your metal. In the U.S. today, there are three basic metal alloys known as “silver.”: sterling silver, German silver and silver plate. You don’t clean all of them the same way. In fact, one needs virtually no cleaning.

Silver is used frequently on tack and jewelry, items you really want to shine in the show ring or to just show off. To keep yours brilliant, here’s a brief rundown on the composition of silver alloys and how to clean them.

(Sterling silver) is actually a government standard. To earn the designation “sterling,” the metal must contain at least 92.5 percent silver. It tarnishes over time, requiring a regular polish to restore its luster.

German silver is a trade name and a term that came into use years ago among German silversmiths for their nickel alloys. Also called nickel silver, it’s the most inexpensive metal of the three types and tarnishes more quickly than sterling.

Silver plate 99.9 percent pure silver, coated or “plated” over a base metal, that may be copper, brass or bronze, depending on the how the silversmith plans to use it. To prevent tarnish, many silversmiths then plate the silver with another substance, such as a lacquer. Despite this final outer coating, most lacquer will yellow over time. One company, Montana Silversmiths, found a way to prevent the yellowing. Using a patented procedure and material, company silversmiths plate their silver with “Montana armor,” a substance the company claims is about 64 times more wear resistant than lacquer. In fact, it’s so durable, the company warrants its silver plate for life. It’s used on tack and jewelry for an exclusive number of companies.

Native American Jewelery is one of the most well know examples of silver jewelery

Please submit your infmormation below to be added to our e-mail list

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Street:

City:

State:

ZIP Code:

international address:

We respect your email privacy

Posted by Silversmith (July 14, 2009) | add comment | Comments (0)

Mary, Mary, quite Contrary how does your Coral Grow?

Calcified skeletons of sea creatures that grow in formations resembling the branches of a tree are called coral. Coral is used to create jewelry, and it comes from the Mediterranean Sea or from the Pacific Ocean near Taiwan and Japan. Coral ranges in color from white to red. The most valuable colors of coral are red, black, and pink, which is known as angel skin coral. There are several types of precious coral. Although Red corals are most common in jewelry, coral can be found naturally in a variety of colors including blacks and golds. Coral is produced in warm, shallow coastal areas by tiny marine animals and can be found in many places. Jewelry grade coral usually comes from the Mediterranean Sea, Hawaii, or China and is increasingly rare due to large efforts to protect the worlds Coral Reefs. Coral is known to be used as a gem since prehistoric times and has gained a reputation for having powers of healing and protection. Red coral was believed to change color according to one’s health, but only if the stone was not fashioned by man. Strings of coral were considered a gift of royal proportion in parts of Africa. It was also popular as a gem in the Egyptian and Roman empires who believed in its curative powers. Coral jewelry , such as post earrings, has been made in many parts of the world, used for adornment since prehistoric times, and coral inlays date back to the Iron Age.

Please submit your infmormation below to be added to our e-mail list

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Street:

City:

State:

ZIP Code:

international address:

We respect your email privacy

Posted by Silversmith (July 11, 2009) | add comment | Comments (0)

Materials Used in Native American Jewelry

Many people are enamored with Native American jewelry for no other reason than the fact that they often turned rather plain or average looking components into something elaborate, beautiful, and ornate. To that end, some of the main items that were used in Native American jewelry were beads, shells, and discarded buttons. But these products became something stunning when it was incorporated into jewelry.

One of the most elaborate and interesting pieces of jewelry were the Native American necklaces. These were often strung with multiple strings of beads, so they could show off many different varieties and kinds of beads and shells. Some necklaces even featured pieces of bone or animal claw.

Please submit your infmormation below to be added to our e-mail list

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Street:

City:

State:

ZIP Code:

international address:

We respect your email privacy

Posted by JewelryHoarder (July 10, 2009) | add comment | Comments (0)

Native Jewelry

Archive for July, 2009

A Great Summer Look

Kokopelli- Hopi Tradition

The Great American Buffalo

Navajo tradition and modern art

Where do those earrings come from?

Jet-The funeral Gem

Eagles - Magestic Birds

Not all that glitters is silver

Mary, Mary, quite Contrary how does your Coral Grow?

Materials Used in Native American Jewelry

Categories

Recent Posts

Native Jewelry

Recommended Sites

Archives