Bobby Johnson 8-Stone Turquoise Cluster Pendant, Navajo Sterling Silver

A 2.5-inch Navajo cluster pendant set with eight turquoise stones, handmade in sterling silver by Bobby Johnson.

The piece. A round center stone sits inside a twisted silver rope frame, with a teardrop stone and two angled ovals above it and four oval stones fanned below, for a bold flower-like silhouette. Each stone has its own hand-formed bezel, with silver dot accents between them. The stones range from bright sky blue to deeper blue, many with dark spiderweb matrix and a few with rich red-brown veining, so no two look alike. A wide silver bail sits at the top.

The stone. Turquoise has been the signature stone of Southwestern jewelry for generations. Its blue comes from copper, and the matrix lines are traces of the rock it formed in, which is why the stones in this cluster each carry their own pattern.

The artist. Bobby Johnson is a Navajo silversmith. The back of this pendant is stamped with his hallmark, "Bobby Johnson", and "Sterling".

Navajo tradition. Navajo (Diné) silversmithing is a living art form more than 150 years old. Navajo smiths learned metalwork from Mexican plateros in the mid-1800s, and by the 1880s they were setting turquoise in hand-worked silver. Cluster work like this, gathering several stones into one design, is one of the tradition's signature styles.

Details

• Artist: Bobby Johnson, Navajo
• Hallmark: Bobby Johnson, Sterling
• Stone: Turquoise, 8 stones
• Metal: 925 sterling silver
• Size: 2.5 inches high x 1.5 inches wide
• Weight: 29 grams

Questions buyers ask

Is this authentic Native American jewelry? Yes. It was handmade by Navajo artist Bobby Johnson and carries his hallmark.

How big is it? 2.5 inches high and 1.5 inches wide, with a solid 29 grams of silver and stone.

How do I care for it? Put it on last and take it off first. Wipe with a soft dry cloth and keep it away from lotion, perfume, water and ultrasonic cleaners.

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Item# PD-T136