ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Exquisite Navajo artistry is in Derrick's blood & If you were to ask him who he was lucky enough to be mentored by, the answer would be his uncle 'DELBERT GORDON'. Delbert happens to be a 'master' artisan & is a real favorite in the industry.. He taught the younger Derrick some 35+ years ago & now he has grown to be one of the more sought out Navajo artists..When you look at his art, you can't help but see Delbert's influence, where he'll use layers upon layers of appliques that he creates from scratch & which give his work a very ornate appearance. Born in Gallup,NM, Derrick is now a Arizonian resident & calls Arizona his home.
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ABOUT THE TURQUOISE:
In the hills of Kazakhstan sits the Golden Hills mine,where this turquoise is only mined in the winter month's during the freezing cold & snow.They cannot mine it it the summer due to the area flooding due to the conditions there.It is difficult to get because of the environment & the location.

Kazakhstan-Golden Hills turquoise is one of the prettiest turquoise being mined & due to it's popularity, it is one of the most in demand turquoise on today's market..It took to the US by storm fairly recently & is one of 2 separate mines that have both made their mark on US soil that are ranking as high as many of our USA mined turquoise that buyers ache to get their hands on! (The other is Mexico's "Sonoran Turquoise")
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DESCRIPTION:
I have to admit, this isn't just a 'ring' but rather a piece of art! Both the quality of this incredible cut & the artsy sterling work are in perfect balance with each other and honestly speaking, both are equally as gorgeous!! The color, the beautiful warm clay colored matrix, how the elegantly beveled stone was professionally cut, brings this beauty above & over the edge! I have witnessed some fine cuts of Kazakhstan & even though they were all so beautiful, I have to say, this gorgeous cut puts the others to shame!

The elongated pear shaped stone is showcased by some of the most incredible metal work,which contributes to the ornate feel in the ring's metal design.. The underlying sterling sheet on the face of the ring is no where to be seen,since it's literally covered with all kinds of embellishing! Each & everything on the face is totally done by hand, from twisting the sterling wire that creates a swirl effect, to the beautiful appliques on the centers east/west sides,to the repousse appliques on the north/south ends. Using his 'eye for design', the embellishing seems to only bring more focus to the stone.
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THE SHANK:
Designed in a non-adjustable size 9-1/4,the shank is made of heavy gauge sheet sterling that has a 4 split spread near the face of the ring.