Navajo Pearls with Jacla Necklace
Oxidized Sterling Silver and Turquoise Navajo Pearls with Jacla Necklace by Artist Sharon Cooley-Nez. This necklace features handmade oxidized sterling silver graduated Navajo Pearl beads with Turquoise beads in between with a hook and eye closure. This necklace is 36 inches.
Navajo Pearls
Navajo Pearls are handmade sterling silver bead necklaces crafted by Navajo silversmiths. The tradition dates back to the 1800’s. The Navajo used the beads to tell stories and to pass them down from generation to generation. Navajo Pearls are an integral part of squash blossom necklaces but can be worn alone or with pendants.
Authentic Navajo Pearls are labor intensive to make because they are entirely hand crafted. Each bead is cut, stamped, dapped, drilled, soldered, filed, polished and strung by the hand of the artist. Most often the Navajo Pearls are oxidized to darken, then sanded with steel wool to give them an antique look, but can also be highly polished. No two beads are alike. It’s what makes the necklaces so special and valuable.