The beautiful Native American jewelry available for purchase at Indian Traders has been crafted primarily by silversmiths and artisans from the Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi communities. Renowned for its striking aesthetics and precision, these pieces feature the sterling silver overlay (Hopi) and inlay (Navajo and Zuni) designs so characteristic of each tribe. Many of the inlay pieces feature exquisite turquoise and other semi-precious gemstones such as coral, jet, onyx, pink mussel, and more.
Many places both on- and offline are selling what is claimed to be “Native American” jewelry. But how do you know that what you’re buying is genuine – both in materials and craftsmanship?
Sadly, the market is flooded with fake “Native American” pieces. They may have been made in the USA or imported from overseas and, either way, they have no connection whatsoever with Native Americans. While some of these were crafted so precisely as to look real, it is not difficult to be able to determine whether a necklace, bracelet, earrings, ring, or any other piece is authentic.
How to Know Native American Jewelry is Genuine
- Purchase from a Reputable Dealer or Vendor
Buying from a trusted, reputable dealer (like Indian Traders) who has an established reputation is important. We, for example, purchase our jewelry directly from Native American artists who have demonstrable tribal credentials, and we credit each for their work.
- Appearance
Authentic pieces are handmade and exhibit unique qualities. There will often be tiny irregularities that, rather than being imperfections, show that they are not mass-produced by machines; they instead make each piece one-of-a-kind and indicate handcraftsmanship.
- Consider Pricing
Even if purchased from someone who “appears” to be Native American, the buyer should still beware. Authentic Native American jewelry is handcrafted, and each piece is a labor of love with significant time, talent, and effort invested. Artisans deserve to be compensated accordingly, and low pricing may indicate counterfeit jewelry. If the cost of a piece seems too good to be true and doesn’t reflect its apparent quality, it quite possibly is. You do indeed get what you pay for.
- Look for a Hallmark
Many silversmiths will stamp their work with their own unique hallmark or signature/initials. They will also stamp the piece to display whether it is sterling silver (SS or 925). Not all do so, however – so know where you are getting your jewelry from to be sure.
(Note that some of our jewelry at Indian Traders comes from Running Bear – this is a reputable wholesaler selling jewelry to other dealers. These pieces are made specifically for Running Bear and are authentically Native made in Arizona and New Mexico. The hallmark for Running Bear is RB.)
Kingman Turquoise Bracelet by Steve Francisco – reverse showing hallmark/initials.
- Know Your Turquoise
Much of turquoise on the market today has been altered – stabilized, dyed, or ground and reconstituted. It is illegal to sell altered turquoise as “natural” and its altered state must be disclosed. It can be tricky for most consumers to identify natural versus stabilized turquoise. It’s also important to understand that some vendors dye other stones and pass them off as turquoise; howlite is a white stone with a dark matrix and cheap turquoise is often howlite in disguise.
Some artists use imported turquoise, especially from China, as most American turquoise mines have been closed. As long as the jewelry using these is sold by reputable dealers, made by authentic Native American artisans, and the stones are of high quality, this need not be off-putting. Cost is a strong indicator of authenticity and quality – and this is why natural turquoise jewelry can be so expensive.
- US Federal Law
The Indian Arts and Crafts Act 1990 prohibits dealers and vendors from advertising or labelling fake Native American art (including jewelry) as authentic. Only products created by a member of a federally recognized nation or tribe can be labelled as “Native American” or “Indian”. If an item is labelled as Native American or Indian “inspired” or “style” then it is most likely not authentic.
It’s extremely important to buy authentic, genuine Native American jewelry – pieces that are crafted from sterling silver and genuine gemstones as well as by artisans who are truly Native Americans. All of the Native American jewelry sold by Indian Traders is genuine and authentically handcrafted by Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi silversmiths.
(For the minority of pieces we carry in our store that are not Native-made, or that feature non-natural or non-genuine stones, we clearly stipulate this in our product description.)
By purchasing Native American bracelets, pendants, and more at Indian Traders, you are:
- Buying high-quality, true Native American silver jewelry.
- Acquiring genuine semi-precious stones.
- Respecting the traditions, culture, and unique techniques of the artisan’s tribal affiliation.
- Directly supporting Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni artisans and the economy of their communities – enabling them to earn a living via their cultural heritage.
- Welcoming an authentic piece of southwest Native culture into your life.
- Getting true value for your money with a special piece that will last for generations.
We are immensely proud to offer a vast selection of earrings, necklaces, pendants bracelets, rings, key rings, money clips, buckles, barrettes, pins, and bolo ties. These incorporate traditional Native American symbology into designs crafted from silver, leather, and semi-precious gemstones and we are delighted to showcase the magnificent talents of artisans including Steve Francisco, Sheryl Martinez, Bruce Morgan, Tia Long, Dave Skeets, Darren Seweyestewa, Pat Tewaina, Bobbie Willie, Tom Lewis, and many others.
Browse our collection today.