RDP Monday: JEWEL
I fell in love with Native American jewelry in a tiny store in Boston’s Italian North End. I didn’t even know it was Native American, but I loved it, that first pair of earrings. Many more were to follow. Necklaces and bracelets and rings and things featuring beautiful pieces of turquoise stone.
Eventually, I realized what I was buying and learned more about it. I’ve never loved any other jewelry the way I loved Navajo and Pueblo and Hopi work from our southwest and on my two visits to Arizona, I always got something special while I was there.
I also discovered online sources until I collected quite a treasure-trove of it. Now I’m at the point of beginning to let go of it because I don’t work. We don’t go to fancy parties, either.
Meanwhile, my wrists have gotten allergic (this is a real thing, no kidding) to anything tight against my wrists. It’s called “wristwatch” allergy and it comes from wearing bracelets and watches for a lifetime. Apparently, your wrists get sensitive. Bizarre, right? Thus with few exceptions, I’ve rehomed my beautiful bracelets with the incredible stones in them because they were just sitting in the drawers of my big jewelry dresser. But I’m glad they will get worn.
Big sky in Navajo land
I also discovered fetishes, mostly carved from antler, but some carved in turquoise. It’s not exactly jewelry, but it’s not exactly not jewelry if you get my drift.
For me, it has always been much more about the stones than the silverwork. A beautiful piece of turquoise doesn’t need a lot of fancy silver around it. It speaks for itself.
So when you see my pictures, all the jewelry I’m wearing — these days, usually just rings and earrings — it’s all from the southwest and most of it is silver and turquoise. But there are also various carved shells and other stones too.
Modern pieces, older pieces, I love all of it. I may not get to wear it often, but I love just having it. And every once in a while, I get to wear it, too.
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Love that stuff – and that area. I hope to go to Santa Fe at some point.
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Like you, I love turquoise and other stones, and I love silver too. Sometimes I like to just hold them in my hands, or feel them on my skin, you know? There is such an innate warmth in them.
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I know. Also, turquoise becomes more lustrous when it touches your skin. Like pearls. So the stones like when you touch them 🙂
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Such a beautiful collection. There is nothing like turquoise. So many hues and shapes. It i s my birthstone I used to have many pieces as a teenager.
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Technically, my birthstone is the bloodstone. Since it’s an ugly stone and when it fully turns red, you die, we have adopted (Pisces) ANY other stone as our stone. I’m going with turquoise. Green, blue, veined or clear. Any old way.
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Absolutely love how the jewelry sits on your neck. Enjoying the collection of photos here. There’s a native American shop in the stockyards in Fort Worth, TX that has wonderful turquoise jewelry.
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It looks good and it makes me smile.
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If I could wear jewelry, it would be like the earrings in your picture. I like turquoise, Doug loves turquoise. I think he would wear it more than me.
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They make a LOT of turquoise jewelry for men. Garry used to wear a beautiful bracelet/watch, but it finally broke beyond repair.
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The turquoise is lovely Marilyn, even if you don’t wear it often. To be able to look at it is a real pleasure.
Leslie
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Sometimes, I just take it out and look at it. Occasionally, I get energetic and polish it, too. Not the stones, just the silver 🙂
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It really is lovely…..
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They are enchanting and so Unique.
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Turquoise actually make me FEEL good. Not just pretty. A happy stone.
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Yes, some stones have effect on mood ( that’s what I have heard, not my personal experience)
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Oh, how I love turquoise! When I was a child, we lived for two years on a ranch here in Southern California, and the ranch hands and maids were Navajo.They made a Navajo doll for me one year, with the authentic dress and hair style, and gave us turquoise jewelry . During the winter months, one of the men would come to our house and start the fire in the fireplace, dancing in front of it and chanting. I loved it.
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That sounds wonderful!
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I prefer that sort of jewellery to the glitter glance of the diamonds and stones. It has more depth
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And stones fell good in your hand. They don’t glitter, but they have so much power in them.
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