Authentic
Native American Jewelry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 1/2" long end to end. Ends finished with sterling silver hook and ring. | Ramona
Bird, Santo Domingo NH1084 - $141 plus s/h | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1/4" to 3/4" heishi. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
What is Spiny Oyster?Spiny oyster, not surprisingly, is an oyster that is covered with spines. Like coral or mother-of-pearl, the shell of spiny oyster is considered an organic gemstone. The portion of the shell used to make jewelry is aragonite, which consists of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Aragonite has the same chemical formula as calcite. Spiny oysters are found along the Atlantic coast of Baja California and Baja Mexico. Common colors vary from orange, found in shallow waters, to red and purple from deeper waters. The shell is also found in white, yellow, pink and brown. Polished shell has definite striations and color variation. Red spiny oyster has been used as a subsititute for coral. |
What is Heishi? How is Heishi Made?© 2007 Horsekeeping LLC © Copyright Information Heishi means shell and in the past, referred to pieces of shell that have been drilled and hand rolled or ground into bead shapes and strung as necklaces. With the reduced availability of some shell materials, the modern Native American artists also use hand made beads of other natural materials including stones when making heishi necklaces.
Although all of the items we sell in our Native American Jewelry Store are hand made by Navajo, Hopi, Zuni or Rio Grande Pueblo Indian craftsmen and women, there are many inexpensive imitation heishi items for sale elsewhere that use man-made materials and are produced by non-Native Americans. So, like many other things, you get what you pay for. If you want an authentic, traditional heishi necklace, this is the type you should be looking for. The shells most commonly chosen for heishi include penn shell, olive shells, spiny oysters, mother-of-pearl (MOP), and melon shell. Coral is also used as well as stones such as lapis, turquoise, jet, pipestone, and serpentine.
Authentic handmade heishi, although smooth and of uniform consistency, will have variations among the beads. There will be a variation in color and thickness or there might be a slight imperfection in the shell or bead. This adds to its unique appearance. What is stabilized turquoise?
Natural turquoise, although beautiful, can change color when it comes in contact with body oil, hand lotion, soap or any other fat-based compound. Blue stones tend to become more green. Although all stones can fracture if treated roughly, natural stones tend to fracture more easily than stabilized stones. When a natural stone is used in a sturdy sterling silver setting, it is protected but when it is used as beads in a necklace, it could be easily chipped. That's why most heishi and nugget necklaces use stabilized turquoise. |