Navajo Sterling Silver Kingman Turquoise Bracelet

Paula says -

"Peterson Johnson's work is exceptional. His use of handmade flowers, leaves and vines is distinctive and elegant.

"The Kingman turquoise stone slab offers maximum surface area without becoming uncomfortably heavy.

"This generous bracelet can be adjusted to fit a Medium to Large wrist. When we were talking with Peterson, he said this bracelet is often worn over the sleeve. Destined to become a family heirloom."

The 7-wire sterling silver band has a total inside circumference of 7 1/2" including the 1 1/4" gap. It is flexible enough to be adjusted as much as 1/4" larger or smaller.

Peterson Johnson is a self-taught artist who has won numerous awards throughout the Southwest and whose work is sought by collectors around the world. He was born in 1956 and began creating silverwork in 1976. He is very well known for his traditional Navajo jewelry, which shows meticulous workmanship and has a distinctive Peterson flair.

Peterson is known among fellow artists as "the machine" because he is SO meticulous in every detail of his work. The box clasps on his bracelet watches, for example, are finely tuned works of art. All of his jewelry is crafted with skill and precision to last a lifetime and be passed along to many generations.

Peterson and his wife Alyce live in Gallup, New Mexico and travel to art fairs and pow wows year round throughout the USA displaying Peterson's silver work and Alyce's beadwork.

Stabilized Kingman Turquoise

The Kingman mine, located in Mohave County, Arizona, has been operated by the Colbaugh family since the 1970's. It is known for producing bright blue stones with white and black matrix, considered by many to be the best turquoise in North America. Old authentic natural Kingman turquoise is extremely rare.

In the 1950s S. A. "Chuck" Colbaugh developed a modern method for stabilizing the color and strength of turquoise. It is an expensive process that takes over 3 months to assure that the turquoise does not crack while being treated. Basically, the moisture is removed from the stone and replaced with an optically clear resin, the same type as used in jet fighter windows. The turquoise is then allowed to dry naturally for two to three months. Although other mines have turquoise stabilization facilities, those at the Kingman mine are widely regarded as the best.

Marty Colbaugh (Chuck Colbaugh's grandson) now runs the Kingman mine and continues the stabilizing tradition began by his grandfather. He says if natural turquoise is not treated, it can become oxidized with oils from the skin and change color. The products that Kingman uses for stabilizing turquoise are clear and no dyes are ever used so the natural turquoise color is preserved and no discoloration occurs.