Ray Lovato is the undisputed master of traditional Santo Domingo hand rolled, natural turquoise heishi. For decades he has worked with the finest natural stones and created beautiful necklaces.

Nearly all of the current heishi makers at the Pueblo now use treated or stabilized stones. Many do wonderful work and the difficulty and cost of obtaining natural turquoise combined with the difficulty of working it, results in the use of treated stones being preferable.

We often get requests for bracelets that will fit large wrists and right now, we have a nice selection of good ones. Here are three Navajo style pieces that I thought you might enjoy seeing.

Jacla” is a Navajo word for “ear string.” Jacla’s are traditionally made with turquoise “heishi” which is essentially flat turquoise beads, hand ground and strung in strands, which were worn by Native people as far back as the Anasazi or “Ancestral Puebloans” as they are recognized as today.

We have, without any question, the best customers on the planet! To all of you who follow our newsletter and make it possible for us to share the great works of Native and Southwestern artists, we say "Thank You!"

Do you ever wish you had taken a picture of someone or some thing and didn’t?

That’s the way I feel about Willie Yazzie. He was a wonderful Navajo silversmith who worked for years demonstrating his art at Mesa Verde National Park.

During the late 1960's and early 1970's, Indian jewelry was incredibly popular. Turquoise and silver jewelry was being turned out by shops in Albuquerque, Gallup, Farmington, Flagstaff and other "border" towns in massive quantities.

The Fall Gallery Walk was founded in 1983 by the four original members of the Durango Gallery Association. Toh-Atin Gallery is the last one standing of the original group and we are happy that the Gallery Association continues to grow in both numbers and quality.

Effie Calavaza is a Zuni Silversmith whose work has captured the hearts of many collectors. She was born in 1928 and started making jewelry in the 1950’s. She is still doing some silver work although she has passed her designs down to her daughters.

On Saturday and Sunday, June 23 and 24, one of the most unique and fun shows in the country will be held at the Sweeney Center in Santa Fe. It’s not at Indian Show, or a Cowboy Show of an Ethnographic Show. It is everything that has to do with the West.

What does it mean to be the “first” to do something? It takes the ability to put your ego on the line and to take a chance with the confidence that it will work out.

Zuni Silversmith Dan Simplicio was one of those people. He lived a short life of 52 years, passing away in 1969. He was the first to use coral in its natural form, the first to set rough cut coral in rings and he introduced the common use of leaf work in Zuni jewelry.

If you have never been to a Gem and Mineral show, don’t pass this one up! It is worth your time with over 500 dealers and some of the most unique things you have seen in your life.