THE HAND MADE BEADS

Contemporary in style while oozing a classic Santa Fe'an aesthetic, this is probably one of the best sterling beaded necklaces you may consider owning! No, it's not made with a bunch of beads that were bought & restrung, but after reading what it took to make these beads, you will more than likely have an immense appreciation for the necklace!

To make these beads, takes one who is meticulous, somebody who knows what they're doing and has extremely skilled hands in this type of artwork...One who doesn't mind the arduous assignment in making sure each & every bead is made to perfection, but no matter how skilled one may be, no one can make these types of beads in a matter of just a few hours or a few days. They literally take weeks to make.. You also have to have excellent mathematical skills, great dexterity, patience and good eyesight to do this type of work.

These beads are made the same way Navajo Pearls are made, by cutting the same size circle of sterling, doming each one & then by soldering the 2 domed pieces together to make the bead. But what is different about these, is the additional workmanship, by cutting smaller cuts of Sleeping Beauty Turquoise that were taken from a larger slab & then cutting each little square (which btw, also have to be at the the same height!! ) and then channel mosaic inlaying these miniscule cuts in the center. Yes, it's a very tedious process ,but very rewarding when finished!! Each bead is precisely made in a 12 mm diameter(About a 1/2" round) & 31.5" long.

Also just like Navajo Pearls, all beads are hollow, with no bead being made solid sterling. (Unless maybe cast!) The weight of a Navajo Pearl beaded necklace is based on the 'Gauge" of sterling that the artists chooses to use. I can't express this enough, but this is NO light weight necklace & has a generous amount of sterling, which is unlike many Navajo Pearl necklaces out there. (a few grams under 8 ounces!) You are getting your money's worth with this necklace, based on not only all the sterling, but the 'time consuming-back breaking' weeks it took to make!

The necklace is finalized with a sharp looking closure that is made of 2 hand stamped oval medallions that have a Sleeping Beauty cabochon in the center. The hook & eye are also hand made & are made with a heavy gauge sterling(See last 3 photos)

It has a very contemporary, highly sophisticated modern day vibe that can be worn when you want to impress and can be worn day or night! Also, if you have a huge pendant with a big bale opening , you can slip that on these to change up the look! Remember also that the medallions at the end are bigger than the beads, so they will have to fit through the bale as well! (The bale should have at least a 14-15 mm opening or larger )

I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT WE ALSO STOCK THIS SAME NECKLACE IN LAPIS! (UNDER THIS SAME CATEGORY)