Carico Lake Turquoise & Sterling Silver Adjustable Ring by Mary Tso

Mary Tso is a distinguished Native American jeweler renowned for her intricate and culturally rich designs. Hailing from the Navajo Nation, Tso has built a reputation for her exceptional craftsmanship and use of traditional techniques, blending them seamlessly with modern aesthetics. Her jewelry often features elaborate silverwork and vibrant gemstones, reflecting her deep connection to her heritage and the artistic traditions of the Navajo people. Through her work, Tso preserves and celebrates the artistry of Native American jewelry while continuing to innovate within the field.

Sterling Silver in Native American Jewelry

Sterling silver has been a cornerstone of Native American jewelry-making for over a century. Introduced through trade and colonial contact in the late 1800s, silver quickly became a favored material among Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi artisans. Navajo silversmiths were among the first to adopt its use, learning techniques from Mexican metalsmiths and blending them with their own cultural motifs to create bold, handcrafted jewelry that remains iconic today.

Sterling silver is composed of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper. This composition is denoted by the ".925" stamp found on authentic pieces, ensuring durability while retaining the precious metal’s brilliance and softness for hand-tooling.

Most silver used today is mined in countries like Mexico, Peru, China, and the United States (notably Arizona and Nevada). Native artists often work with American-mined silver for its cultural and geographical ties to the Southwest.

Care Tips:

• To maintain a bright, polished finish, gently clean sterling silver with a soft cloth or use a designated silver cleaning cloth to remove tarnish.

• To preserve the natural oxidation or patina, which many collectors cherish for its depth and character, simply wear the jewelry regularly and avoid over-cleaning. The patina develops naturally over time and enhances the handmade detail and stamping of each piece.

Whether kept polished or allowed to age gracefully, sterling silver serves as both canvas and frame for the stunning stones and stories embedded in Native American jewelry.

Black Arrow Jewelry & Art has offered Native American Made Kingman Turquoise Jewelry since 1996. The Kingman mine in northwestern Arizona is one of the largest turquoise mines in the southwest. Kingman blue has become a color standard in the industry, famous for its rounded bright blue nuggets with black matrix called Kingman Web Turquoise. Few turquoise mines produced nuggets, especially of this high grade. The Kingman mine re-opened in September 2004 after being closed since the 1970’s.