When this was brought to me, the 1st thing I couldn't help but immediately notice was that this was made by a real pro, where it was very obvious the artist has been at it for quite some time..In fact, when you have this in hand, you can literally see the years this artist has put in just by the way it was made! Well, once I found out who made & designed it, it didn't surprise me in the least that it was made by "KATHRYN WALLACE" who happens to be the "mother' of one of our industry's most recognized Native names & that is the award winning name "LIZ WALLACE" (Google) Navajo Kathryn Wallace (Formally Morsea) & her husband are both well accomplished jewelers who work in both sterling & gold, so that should tell you something about their caliber of work, especially when it comes to working with the latter.

To do this sort of exceptional, magnificent type of work,one has to have excellent technical, mathematical & lapidary skills & is not something you can excel in, in just a matter of a couple weeks.This type of art takes time to learn,patience to love what you do,as well as having a good eye for design in knowing how & where to place each & every stone that you cut.

The buckle has a very modern day vibe & the center of it is very abstract! The technique Kathryn used is what is called a "Cobblestone" mosaic inlay, where each of the cuts have to be cut to fit precisely next to the other, as if you're working with a puzzle. The stones are then beautifully beveled which gives a smooth feel to the touch & each cut has a different shape from the next & no where, is there any breathing room with open space! They are tightly packed side by side! This is just one thing which validates the years Kathryn has put in. On this portion of the buckle,the stones sit in one solid raised bezel & have a beautifully domed-rectangular shape cut of Italian red coral that is used as an accent..What I notice with the coral's bezel,is how she gave the bezel 'slits' on all 4 corners so it could wrap around it better in order for the coral to 'breathe'.

Nearing the perimeter,there is a very fine line of channel mosaic inlaid stones that have the same layout of Turquoise,Lapis,Ironwood & Coral that make up the center.The perimeter is all sawed out in a uniform design in it's entirety. Fits a 1-1/4" belt size.

In comparison to many other southwestern buckles, this would be considered relatively small in size compared to others,but the time & love that went into this,speaks volumes!! This is a buckle where 'quality exceeds 'quantity" & if you love exquisite workmanship as I do & love an extremely well made piece that's not overpowering in size that you can cherish forever, then this is a no brainer! This is such a fabulous-top of the line buckle,where I could see where it could have been done in gold! It is that great!

Maybe you're a Tucson or Santa Fe gallery owner, or a Texas Oilman or banker, or possibly just one who loves a more casual look & wears nothing but denim & boots,this will definitely be a buckle that will say a lot about your tastes & appreciation for Native American art.

Perfect for man man or woman!