Native American Turquoise Coral Sterling Silver Bear Pendant.

This pendant is an impressive work of art. This one prominently features the strinking image of the mighty bear in shimmering Sterling Silver. A nugget of genuine Turquoise and two cabochons of genuine Coral give this beautiful piece of Navajo Indian jewelry a gorgeous display of natural colors. These gemstones have been set against the brilliance of Sterling Silver. Made in our shop. Suspended from a complimentary chain, this pendant is 2-1/4" long. Stamped Sterling. Signed by the Navajo artist with our hallmark. Turquoise stones may slightly vary. The photo is an excellent representation of the one of a kind hand made pendant you'll receive.

There are many legends about Turquoise; The Pima consider it to bring good fortune and strength and that it helped overcome illness. The Zuni believe that blue turquoise was male and of the sky and green turquoise was female and of the earth. Pueblo Indians thought that its color was stolen from the sky. In Hopi legend the lizard who travels between the above and the below, excretes turquoise and that the stone can hold back floods. The Apache felt that turquoise on a gun or bow made it shoot straight. The Navajo consider it as good fortune to wear and believe it could appease the Wind Spirit.

There are four types of precious coral in Hawaii: black coral (Antipathidae), gold coral (Parazoanthidae), red or pink coral (Corallidae) and bamboo coral. Each of these has a different internal composition. Red and pink corals produce a calcite skeleton similar in hardness to ivory and pearls. Bamboo corals, on the other hand, produce a skeleton composed partially of calcite and partially of protein that is similar to the keratin in your fingernails. These alternating bands of material resemble a bamboo stalk; thus the corals' name. In Hawaii, black corals are found in 100-300 ft. of water, shallow enough to harvest using scuba equipment. Many harvesters, however, have died in pursuit of coral trees at the deep end of this range. Red, gold and bamboo coral are found between 1,000 and 1,500 ft; so harvesting is conducted with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) or submarines.

We understand the true value and nature of hand crafted Indian art. And, we recognize it's important to know that the artist is truly a member of a Native American tribe. So, to ensure you that this is the real deal, a Certificate of Authenticity has been included with this item.

CERTIFIED AUTHENTIC