Native American Jewelry Guide

There is much to know when it comes to Native American jewelry. This is a guide to help anyone interested to understand the fundamental aspects related to this fascinating field. It is important for anyone who is seriously interested in buying and owning Native American jewelry to deeply understand its worth so they can make wise purchases. We feel as a company in this field that we should educate viewers so that they can appreciate the true value of this art.

As the Native American jewelry industry continues to grow and thrive it becomes clear that it has begun to develop a language of its own. In order to help clarify the subject matter on this site for newcomers, this core Native American Jewelry Glossary with define terms from this craft as well as common terms of reasonable relevance. The glossary is in alphabetical order for efficiency. If there is a term that you are having trouble understanding or if you have a term that is not in the glossary please feel free to let us know. New terms will be added as this industry and site continue to grow.

How Native American Jewelry Is Made

Naive American handmade jewelry has become an unforgetable art. An extreme amount of effort is put into making a piece of jewelry by hand. Some of the stone inlay and silver design techniques can take from hours to even days to complete. It is not well known to outside audiences how much work it actually takes to create these beautiful masterpieces. Native-Tribes would like to give an acknowledgment to all of those Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni artists who pour their lives into this intensive and intricate craft. We would like to give a brief description of this process so that you may understand what makes this jewelry so valuable and gain an appreciation of the art.

Silversmiths manipulate silver metal to their desired shape. To make Native American jewelry one must know how to work metal and most modern Native jewelry makers are silversmiths. After the jewelry idea is motion, and the proper stones and designs have been decided upon, and the artist must choose the silver that he will use. The metal must be cut, shaped, molded, sculpted, sanded and polished using special tools to make the desired shape and design

Materials for Creation

Native Americans make use an assortment of raw materials to create their beautiful jewelry. The living spirit of nature plays a vital role in Native American life. The earth provides for the people, and the raw earth is what the fires forge. Most of the ancient jewelry was created with colorful stones and shells, which were beaded and strung on woven plant fibers. Its no mystery why the southwestern native tribes favored the brilliant gems and jewels they did, such as turquoise and coral. The same stones are still used today and continue to strike awe in the eyes of their beholders.

Over the years Native American jewel craft has evolved, changing with the winds of time. The people mold and shape their jewels as the world changes around them, continuously flowing like an endless river. Discovery of new mines gave a variety of styles to choose from. Trade among the people also played a vital role. One of the most influential moments in southwestern Native American jewelry history is the introduction of silver, by the Spanish, in the late 1800s.

Types of Native American Jewelry

The bulk of southwestern Indian jewelry is made up of basic bracelets, necklaces, rings, earrings, and other familiar jewelry pieces. The best way to differentiate it from more common jewelry is the distinctive Native American style. The Navajo, Hopi and Zuni tribes of the southwest are distinguished native jewelry craftsmen and silversmiths. There are important factors that determine the quality and value of an article of jewelry. Items can be organized into three major categories according to their worth; machine made, handmade and museum quality. The Jewelry guide on this site gives descriptions about each of the characteristics and styles of these types of jewelry.

Buying Native American Jewelry

Anytime you're looking to buy a piece Native American jewelry, you want to make sure that you are not paying for a fake. As the market for Indian jewelry continues to grow, so does the production of fakes. It is very important that you are educated about the industry before you empty your wallet. Make sure you get your moneys worth and buy something authentic. Native Tribes offers some buying tips that should be considered while shopping.

If you are interested in buying authentic Native American jewelry check out some of the recent Native Tribes jewelry auction listings. If you are interested in learning more about what handmade native jewelry looks like use these auctions as a tool to get a better understanding about what actual authentic jewelry looks like. Then, when you are ready to buy from somewhere you have a baseline idea of what is real to follow.