Graduated Turquoise Heishi Earrings with Coral Accents

The jacklas are all beautifully cut individual pieces of natural turquoise.  Corns are made of carved and drilled white shell.  The terminal beads are also hand cut and drilled "tubes" of natural dark salmon-hued Mediterrean coral.  

Ear wires are a drawn heavy gauge silver to which a fluted silver button has been soldered. This button is made of ingot silver rolled sheet, struck in a male/ female two-part die which was carved by hand from steel for this purpose.  A loop of copper wire completes each button and was used as an element to solder attach the wire.

The potters of Santo Domingo Pueblo in New Mexico are known for well-formed pottery decorated with dramatic stylized flora, often in combination with geometric designs.

Santo Domingo Pueblo also hosts jewelers with expertise in creating the finest heishi as well as shell overlay work. In the early years, some overlay work combined traditional turquoise, jet and shell with unorthodox modern materials such as poker chips and phonograph records.