The Beauty Of Navajo Jewelry

By Mathew Engelking


People usually use jewelries when they are looking for something that can adorn them. These days, there are already a lot of jewelries that you can use. One kind of jewelry that is best known for being interesting is the Navajo jewelry. These are jewelries that were handcrafted by people belonging to the Navajo tribe.

These jewelries come in different forms. The most common ones would be necklaces, bracelets, earrings, anklets, and rings. You also have overlays, belts, belt buckles, cuff links, pins, watches, and money clips. These beautiful pieces can be found in shops that sell Native American products or in pawnshops.

Navajo jewelries can be made using different types of materials. The material that is commonly used is silver. There are also products made from copper and gold. They use precious stones like lapis lazuli and onyx for a gemstone necklace. It is turquoise, however, that is considered as their favorite precious stone.

Nowadays, these jewelries have imitations made by scam artists. That is why anyone who will buy these things have to be sure that what they have is not fake. To do this, one thing they can do is look for the hallmark. Tribes usually put hallmarks on their items to indicate that these things belong to them and to the tribe.

These hallmarks can take different forms. The artist or the tribe can use symbols, pictures, or even symbols to show the object's origin. The most popular symbol is the sandpainting, which is usually found in many religious items. The squash blossom is another popular hallmark together with metal stamps.

One way that you can determine if an object is real or not is through the scratch test. It is a method very helpful if you will buy something with precious stones on them. When you scratch the stone, there should be no white marks if it is real. Native American artists do not use fake materials for their jewelries.

To find real jewelries, look for a reputable place that sell genuine and article of good quality. You should also be familiar with the hallmarks so you will not be tricked into buying fake jewelries. If in doubt, it is better to seek the help of an expert so you can be sure if it is a 1950s jewelry, one made by Native Americans, and other kinds.

Anyone would look good wearing a Navajo jewelry. This is an accessory that boasts of the interesting culture of the Native Americans. This is also something that you can collect if you are an avid collector.




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