Antique Vintage Native retailer Navajo Sterling Coin Silver Turquoise Ring Sz 5.25 5.1g

We have similar Turquoise and Native American items, which would pair nicely with this piece, for sale this week. To view in separate listings, please visit our store and search "Turquoise" or "Native" under our items.

Listing description by: Angela A.

The Piece

Markings: Unmarked, tested, and guaranteed

Main stone: Turquoise

Main stone measurements/color:
-Length: 13.73 mm
-Width: 10.5 mm
-Color: opaque bright blue hue with mottled lighter blue and tan-blue hues, as well as a minor black matrix

Accent stone: --

Accent stone measurements/color: --

Stone treatment: The stone(s) appear to be untreated, but we are not certified gemologists. Stone(s) have been tested and guaranteed using a professional Presidium Duo refractive, heat, and hardness tester.

Stone cuts: Carved and polished oval cabochon

Ring face measurements:
-Length: 0.77"
-Width: 0.69"

Notable features:
-handmade in the 1960s by a talented Native American silversmith
-composed of .900 sterling silver, also known as coin silver, a popular purity of silver during this time period
-beautiful bright blue turquoise stone rests in a bezel setting
-a rounded bead motif accents the stone
-smooth, polished band for secure wear

Damage: Age appropriate wear. There is a fissure running through the face of the stone, but the stone remains secure, and this does not affect wear. Tarnish on the sterling silver gives the piece an antique quality we believe is rather lovely, but tarnish can be removed with a buffing, if desired. The price has been reduced to reflect this.

*This listing is for the item only. All display boxes and/or photography props do not come with your purchase.*


The History

This beautiful piece was made by a very talented Native American silversmith. It features handcrafted silversmith work throughout. Antique Native American jewelry is very rare to find. This is due to these pieces being made for reservation and personal use before the tourist trade became popular. Very few pieces were made and even less survived to today.

The Navajo Nation sits on 27,000 square miles within the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. The Navajo have a rich history and culture and have become known for creating some of the finest sterling silver and turquoise jewelry, incorporating their own traditional motifs with silversmithing. The squash blossom necklace is perhaps one the most famous Navajo styles produced, along with turquoise inlay rings. Turquoise is an important stone in Navajo culture; symbolizing happiness, good fortune, and good health.

The first Navajo silversmith, Atsidi Sani, was taught around 1865 by a Mexican silversmith. Atsidi Sani, in turn, taught his four sons, who then started teaching other Navajo artisans. In the beginning, Navajo artisans created sterling silver jewelry for themselves and others in the Navajo Nation. After 1900, with the tourist trade started booming in the Southwest, and Navajo artisans started commercially producing silver and turquoise jewelry and selling it through the various trading posts.

The concept of Pawn, Old Pawn, and Dead Pawn Native American Jewelry came to be in the 1800s. During this time, trading posts had become commonplace for Native Americans to go and exchange food, tools, and other materials with Colonists. Essentially, banks would loan the shop owners money which was then invested into loans for Native Americans in exchange for their jewelry. When a loan wasn't repaid, the item became known as either "Old Pawn" or "Dead Pawn."

Turquoise is found all over the world and has been a popular semi-precious stone used in jewelry and art for thousands of years by many different cultures; from prehistoric times retailer to the present. Turquoise comes in many beautiful color variations; from the popular bright solid sky-blue hues to dark blue hues with dark spiderwebbing throughout, as well as aqua, teal, and many green varieties, and even some rare white with dark spiderwebbing.



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