About Apache Jewelry
Apache jewelry is craftsmanship at a very high level. Make sure you know what you are buying and know the artist who made it. A piece of Apache jewelry may become a treasured family heirloom.
Other People Are Reading
-
History
-
Apache women wore the jewelry--and they wore a lot of it. They wove different metals with rawhide strips and wore it as belts, necklaces and earrings. When Spanish explorers first came to the territory, they admired the Apache jewelry so much that they took it back to Spain, where it became very popular.
Features
-
True Apache jewelry is rich in gem stones and precious metals such as silver, gold or platinum. Some items, especially rings, have intricate engravings of Apache symbols, which when put together will tell a story. Many also have small gems inlayed in the metal.
-
Types
-
Necklaces
Necklaces are big and bold with large stones, usually turquoise. They may be a symbol worked in a precious metal with inlays of gems such as coral.Bracelets
Bracelets are usually made of silver, with turquoise as the main stone. Just like with the necklaces, they are made of precious metals with engraved symbols and inlayed gems.Rings
Rings are mostly made of silver with turquoise stones, but there are also wedding rings with special symbols.Earrings
The tear drop style is very popular in Apache earrings. It is very easy to coordinate a necklace, bracelet and earring set. The stones are supposed to look different.
Geography
-
The Apache have inhabited the lands in the southwest part of the United States for hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of years. The southwest United States is rich in gems such as turquoise and the metals such as silver that are the basis for most of the Apache jewelry.
Identification
-
True Apache jewelry is not cheap. Some pieces can cost well over $1,000. They are true works of art and each one will be individual. There are many copies on the market, which are usually made in factories outside the United States. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Fortunately, the Indian Arts and Crafts Association (IACA) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, can tell you about the artist who created your piece and if it is real. They have more than 700 members.
-
Resources
- Photo Credit Native Arts Trading http://www.nativeartstrading.com/ChiricahuaApacheJewelry.htm
