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Native American & Southwestern Jewelry at affordable prices.

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Turquoise Tour

Turquoise has been treasured as a gemstone by different cultures for thousands of centuries. In the Southwest United States, many indigenous cultures hold turquoise in high regard for its beautiful color and protective properties. For instance, in the Navajo tradition, turquoise is seen as a protective stone, and children are often given their first piece within hours of their birth.


Turquoise is a mineral that is created over time as rain falls to the earth, where it runs through the soil and picks up naturally occurring minerals, such as iron and copper. The water continues its journey into the earth and travels through cracks in rocks. There it sits as a liquid, which over time solidifies into the gorgeous stone we know and love. The color of turquoise can vary greatly, from a bright sky blue, to green, and even slightly yellow. The color variation seen in turquoise comes from the different amount of minerals present during formation. For instance, if there was more copper in the soil the turquoise will look more blue, whereas an abundance of iron gives turquoise a delightful green hue. 



Turquoise is naturally found in dry, arid climates. There are several mines all over the world and in the United States, Arizona is the lead producer, with New Mexico and Nevada close behind. 

Here at Nizhoni Traders LLC, we handpick our jewelry collection to represent and celebrate the natural diversity seen in nature and among Native American cultures. Spend some time browsing our collection to see the pieces that brilliant artists have created with this sacred turquoise stone. Every piece that is handmade by an indigenous artist honors the culture and tradition of the historic Southwest. We hold the cultural significance of each piece of jewelry in high esteem, and we hope you will find a beautiful piece that speaks directly to your heart.


 

Check out some of our turquoise collections below:

Kingman Turquoise
Sonoran Gold Turquoise
Carico Lake Turquoise
Turquoise Mountain Turquoise 

Cameron Dams
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10 cool things you never knew about Sterling Silver!

10 cool things you never knew about Sterling Silver!

Almost every piece of jewelry here at Nizhoni Traders LLC features fine Sterling Silver in one form or another. Have you ever been curious about how it's made, what makes it special and it's history? Well look no further, allows us to satisfy your curiosities!

 

  1. Sterling Silver is almost always stamped with a "hallmark." These will usually be the word Sterling, STG, SS, 925, or 92.5.
  2. The 925 or 92.5 stamp means that the piece is 92.5% pure sterling silver and 7.5% other metal alloys.
  3. Pure silver bears a rating of 99.9% silver. This silver is too soft and malleable for jewelry purposes, and will scratch and dent easily. So sterling silver typically contains a copper alloy that hardens and stabilizes it for everyday use.
  4. 80% of silver that is mined is used for industrial purposes, because it is the most conductive and reflective element. It is often used in electronics and in construction.
  5. Silver is mined all over the world, but it's production is usually a byproduct of copper, gold and zinc mines, as these elements are typically found together mixed with many other minerals. 
  6. Silver is typically mined underground or in open pits. Miners use explosives to blast the silver rich rock from its surroundings. After its blasted, it is in the form of ore--silver mixed with other impurities such as minerals and dirt. The ore is crushed into a fine powder, from there it goes through several steps that allow separation of impurities from the silver. Eventually the silver is heated, the last impurities are removed and it is formed into large bricks, which are then sent to refineries and sold to jewelry makers.Unrefined Silver Ore
  7. 700 million ounces of silver are mined every year.
  8. Documented silver deposits were found in Arizona as early as the 1500's, but were not properly mined until the 17 and 1800's. 
  9. In 1853, Southern Arizona was purchased from Mexico, and Americans began their work in the silver mines, most notably Jerome, Tombstone, and the Patagonia and Santa Rita Mountains.Mine in Tombstone, Arizona
  10. Unfortunately, due to the mines being on Native American lands, mining in the Santa Rita Mountains led to conflicts with the Apaches, known as the Apache Wars. One raid on the Santa Rita mine left all but one mine employee dead.

Still curious? Check out some of these awesome videos below!

Cameron Dams
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Artisan Spotlight: Chimney Butte

Chimney Butte at workYou may have noticed that we carry a lot of different Native American artist's jewelry. One of the many artists we are happy to carry is Chimney Butte, a famous Native American artist originally from Arizona, who now lives in New Mexico.  He was introduced to pottery, carving and jewelry making as he was growing up in Arizona, and that is where the seed of self expression was first planted. Chimney Butte uses his art as a his own personal method of self expression, inspired by the things in his past and the love he feels for his family. 

Chimney's jewelry is always stunning, and his style is wonderfully unique, combining cutting edge technology with the tradition of the Southwest. We look forward to each new piece of his we receive, and hope you find something that captivates your heart as much as it does ours. Browse our Chimney Butte collection and take home something that will last you a lifetime. 

Check Out our Chimney Butte Collection Here!

 

 

**To read more about Chimney Butte and see some awesome pictures, head on over to his website

**All information was retrieved from a personal quote found on https://www.santafejewelry.com/artis_02.html

Cameron Dams
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