SWAIA - Southwestern Association for Indian Arts which oversees the Annual Indian Market for authenticity in the products for sale has some great guidelines for choosing and knowing authentic Indian jewelry.
I thought I would use their standards and pass them on to you as hints when considering purchasing the magnificent pieces you will see in Santa Fe.
If you can only remember a few points, that would still put you ahead and make you somewhat aware.
First of all you should know a little about what it takes to make contemporary Native American jewelry.
1. Grades of silver
- Sterling Silver is 92.5 % silver
- Coin silver is 90 % silver
- German silver is actually 60% copper, 20% zinc, and 20 % nickel
- Ask what type of silver a piece is made of if there is no stamp
2. The jewelry should be stamped with the artist’s hallmark
3 Metal parts of the jewelry should all be handcrafted
- This includes clasps, hooks, backs and studs
4. Finish of metal should be finished. There should be no visible crevices or solder marks etc.
5. Weight of metal should be appropriate to the piece
6. No sharp edges, run marks, or flecks of rust or polish
Genuine turquoise is quite rare. Contemporary Native American jewelry is usually made with stabilized turquoise, but this must be disclosed.
Stabilized means an acrylic has been injected into the stone to toughen it and brighten its color. These stabilized stones should be checked for cracks and make sure they are well polished. These cracked stones could get bigger cracks and be hard to reset if you wanted to.
Nowadays there really are not materials that authentic Native American jewelry must contain.
Some Pueblos still take pride in the traditional materials of their ancestors when making their crafts such as the Santo Domingo Pueblos who still use heishi beads out of shells.
Zuni jewelry still use a technique called needlepoint where tiny stones are embedded in silver.
The Navajo artists continue to create the squash blossom necklaces.
But the fact is that the artists today are not constrained by tradition and can use whatever materials they are attracted to. Just be sure it is the material it is touted to be.
The bottom line though is that if you like it and it appeals to you and you want to wear it, it doesn't have to be authentic, it is just something you appreciate.
I hope this has given you some tips in your search for authentic Native American jewelry
or just made you a more informed buyer.
Happy Shopping
Eileen Richardson
