Navajo Indian TURQUOISE SILVER Belt Buckle 3498
The Navajo artist that did this belt buckle had a sense of humor or they wanted it to be the most unique buckle, you know the way painters gave each of their paintings a special flaw for uniqueness. This highly detailed Sterling Silver belt buckle with genuine Turquoise nuggets is for a very narrow belt, great for those Rockies. The center has a 1/2" opening and the buckle is 2-1/2" by 2". Signed by the Navajo artist DM and stamped Sterling.Today's use of turquoise in jewelry seems to be evolving to a higher level of quality. Native craftsmen have used turquoise for years to embellish and enhance jewelry created from beads, to solitaire semi-nuggets, belt buckles, rings, pendants, earrings, etc. As turquoise was in high demand during the 1970's, that same demand has returned and is even stronger now than in the past. Turquoise is a valuable mineral and is possibly the most valuable, non-transparent mineral in the jewelry trade. It has been mined for eons since at least 6000 BC. by early Egyptians. Its history also includes beautiful ornamental creations by Native Americans and Persians. Its popularity is still quite strong today. Although crystals of any size are rare, some small crystals have been found in Virginia and elsewhere. Most specimens are cryptocrystalline, meaning that the crystals could only be seen by a microscope. The finest turquoise comes from Iran but is challenged by some southwestern United States specimens. The name comes from a french word which means stone of Turkey, from where Persian material passed on its way to Europe. 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 |