Authenticity Guarantee. Navajo vintage silver squash blossom necklace, consisting of 50 total silver beads, and 14 silver squash blossoms centering a sand-cast silver naja. Total length: 24”. Total weight: 228 grams. Strung on foxtail chain. Inventory #JNSB2201.

Detailed dimensions.
14 Silver Squash blossoms: 1.6” total length including tab; 1” long excluding tab.
50 Silver beads: 0.47>0.48” wide by 0.43” high.
Naja: 2.3” wide x 2.6” long; weight 38 grams.
Necklace total weight including naja: 228 grams.

Comments. In addition to overall design, what are the indicators of a higher quality silver squash blossom necklace? As you consider these factors, keep in mind that hand-formed silver jewelry will rarely be perfect in every detail. (1) Weight. A heavier weight means more silver has been used in making the silver beads, the silver squash blossoms, & the naja. This is most easily observable in thickness of squash blossom petals. Light weight necklaces will have very thin silver squash blossom petals. (2) Quality of squash blossoms. Examine the individual silver squash blossoms. How uniform in size are they, and are the petals pretty uniform in size and flare angle, or are there differences between individual blossoms? Are any of blossom funnels split along their solder seam, or are the seams poorly soldered? (3) Silver bead quality. How relatively uniform in size and shape are they? Are some beads crooked or irregular shape? Do bead joints have cracks or splits? How well done are the solder joints? (4) Authenticity guarantee. Is the seller a member of the Authentic Tribal Art Dealers Asso. [ATADA.org] and provides a written guarantee of authenticity?
Please examine this necklace with those questions in mind. At 228 grams total weight, this necklace is of better quality than the more common silver squash blossom necklaces that weigh less than 200 grams. This necklace’s heavier weight is reflected in the thickness of the squash blossom petals—they’re thicker than more common squash blossom necklaces made from thin sheet silver. This necklace also does NOT have poorly formed, irregular squash blossoms and does NOT have cracks in the blossom seams. Similarly, this necklace does NOT have poorly-formed silver beads, nor beads with split solder seams.
Finally, I am a 28 year member of the Authentic Tribal Art Dealers Asso. [ATADA.org], and I provide a written authenticity guarantee with every item I offer for sale.