Sterling Silver |
| ||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||
ABOUT TURQUOISE Turquoise is associated with the sky,
and bringing sky energy to earth. It is known as a master healer stone as it is
believed to help speed the healing process. It is also thought that turquoise
can help promote honest and clear communication from the heart. |
ABOUT OPALOpal is a naturally blue stone with interior fracturing of light which results in a play of color. Opal is October's birthstone and is believed to make the wearer less self-conscious, thereby encouraging spontaneous action and awakening one's psyche. Natural opal(also known as precious opal) contains between 3-10% water but can be as high as 20% and this can make the stones less stable. Lab opalis considered a true synthetic or created opal – produced in controlled laboratory conditions and with the same chemical composition as natural opal but with a very low moisture content making it more durable. Lab opal has much fracturing of light and brilliant colors including blue, pink, purple, red and green.. Imitation opal(artificial or simulated opal) is different chemically from natural and lab opal. It is made up of 80% silica and 20% resin and is an economical option to both precious and lab opal. It is the opal most commonly used in Native American jewelry. |
About Silver100% solid silver won't tarnish but it is too soft to use for making jewelry - it could easily be scratched, dented and bent. Sterling silver has a small amount of one or more other metals usually copper, added to the silver. To be called sterling silver, the alloy must contain at least 92.5% pure silver. Sterling silver alloy is harder than pure silver but the added metals also can cause discoloration or tarnish. |
NOTE: Items in our Vintage Shop are either USED or NEW. They might come from inheritances, estate sales, private collections, and store liquidations. Many items are brand new (NOS, New Old Stock) and in perfect condition while others may show tarnish, scratches and other signs of use. Major issues will be described in detail and shown in photos. Vintage Shop items are sold as described and are not returnable. |
About Native American RingsMaterialsSouthwest Native American rings can be made from many materials but usually are sterling silver alone or embellished with turquoise, coral, jet, Turquoise, petrified wood, abalone, lapis lazuli, jasper, gaspeite, malachite, spiny oyster, tiger eye, white buffalo stone, onyx, opal, bear claws and much more. StylesThe styles of Southwest Native American rings are many and varied including bands, single stone, cigar band, pictorial inlay, cobblestone, corn row and mosaic inlay, storyteller, sandcast and tufa cast, cluster, petit point, needlepoint, snake eye, overlay, feather, leaf, channel inlay and others. NavajoNavajo rings are typically a sterling silver band, often heavy and/or elaborate. The band can be silver only or have stones that are set with various types of bezels. For more information on bezels, read my article Types of Bezels. If a Navajo ring is inlaid, the inlay pieces are usually separated by silver channels.ZuniZuni rings are usually either stone-on-stone inlays (no silver channels in between the pieces), snake rings, snake eye, petit point or needlepoint. HopiHopi rings are most often sterling silver overlays with contrasting (oxidized) and textured backgrounds. Read more in my blog post: Southwest Native American Rings |
Horsekeeping
LLC - Definitions of Jewelry Age and Condition | |
Patina | A dark or colored film of oxidation that forms naturally on metal exposure to air and other elements. It is often valued for its aesthetically pleasing appearance. |
Vintage | 30 years or older. |
NOS | New Old Stock. Retail store inventory from at least 10 years ago. |
Pre-owned | An item that has been used. |
Our
Rescue Mission |
