Pilot Mountain Oval Pendant
Oxidized Sterling Silver and Pilot Mountain Oval Pendant By Navajo Artist Leon Martinez. This pendant features a sterling silver bezel set oval Pilot Mountain Turquoise cabochon with star bullet drops around the stone and a hand stamped bail. This pendant measures 4 1/2 inches x 1 3/4 inches.
Native American Artist: Leon Martinez
Navajo artist Leon Martinez began his jewelry career in the early 1970’s and is considered one of the most celebrated Native American jewelry artists, winning first place awards several times at the Navajo Nation Fair and Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial. Influenced by his jewelry-making parents, Leo and Edith Martinez, Leon began at the young age of nine assisting with buffering, soldering and setting stones.
Leon’s jewelry is described as early 1900’s old style mixed with contemporary style. Making jewelry has made me become patient, putting quality time into the smallest item. This helps me to perfect my work: soldering, setting stones by size, measuring for the perfect fitting, and selecting the highest quality stones for each piece of work.” says Leon. “I strive for perfection in each and every piece.”