Traditional Sterling Silver Five-Sphere Drop Earrings by Artie Yellowhorse

Artie Yellowhorse is known for her contemporary jewelry designs using high-quality stones and distinctive silversmithing. Her Navajo heritage comes through in the beautiful, creative pieces she designs and makes.

Artie Yellowhorse is a third generation Navajo jewelry artist from the Towering House Clan where her grandfather and father were silversmiths. Artie Yellowhorse continues the family jewelry making tradition and now has her daughters, Desiree and Le Lani, deeply involved in the creation and design of Yellowhorse Jewelry.

Yellowhorse designs are distinctive often featuring domed silver moons surrounded by handmade silver beads or drops that are individually made and soldered to the jewelry piece.

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.