Necklace Inv# LL4TW1901. Earrings Inv.# LLSTL1901.

Guarantee:  Hand-crafted necklace & earrings by Kewa artist, Lupé Lovato. The ‘waterfall’ style necklace consisting of 4-tiers of Kingman Turquoise semi-precious gemstone graduated discs, with each tier centering 5 Kingman Turquoise ‘corn’ dangles, with Sterling silver clasp. The earrings consisting of Kingman Turquoise slabs suspended on Sterling Silver ear wires. Necklace weight: 240 grams. Earrings weight: 14 grams.

Price:  $1100 regular price, with FREE Priority Mail shipping & Insurance [47 states + DC].

Summary Description: Stunningly beautiful & rare 4-tier ‘waterfall’ style necklace hand-crafted by Kewa Pueblo jewelry artisan, Lupé Lovato; consisting of 4 tiers of USA Kingman Turquoise polished, graduated discs, with each tier centered by 5 Kingman Turquoise ‘corn’ dangles, & terminating at each necklace end with a sterling silver clasp. Lupé Lovato hand-crafted earrings, consisting of beautiful, trapezoidal-shaped Kingman Turquoise slabs suspended on Sterling Silver ear wires.

Materials:   USA Kingman Turquoise semi-precious gemstones; Sterling Silver.

Dimensions & weight: [approximate, with minor variations due to being hand-cut, hand-polished, & hand-drilled by the artist, & due to variations in natural gemstone material].  Measurements made using a micrometer.

• Necklace length as worn: as worn, approximately 17” from clasp along 1 side of necklace to bottom of the 4th tier of the necklace; total length approximately 35” from 1 clasp, following curve of necklace—as worn—all the way around to other clasp.

• Necklace hand-crafted Graduated discs’ diameter:  ranging from 0.2” diameter at the clasp ends and gradually increasing in diameter to 0.5” diameter

• Necklace hand-crafted Graduated discs’ thickness:  varying from approximately 0.07” to 0.1” thick

• Necklace hand-crafted 5 Kingman Turquoise ‘corn’ dangles centering each tier are graduated in size:  length graduated from 0.5” to 1”.

• Earrings size: 2.6” total length including 2.1” long turquoise slab & 0.5” long ear wires; turquoise slab widest width 0.8”.

• Necklace Weight:  240 grams. Earrings weight: 14 grams.

Turquoise Colors: You may see turquoise color differences in the photos we posted. Turquoise can look more blue or more green depending on lighting differences and light intensity. We purposely took photos in differing light conditions so you could see how the turquoise color may appear different in differing light conditions when you wear the jewelry.

Comments. We are delighted to offer this beautiful set of USA Kingman Turquoise necklace and earrings hand-crafted by Kewa Pueblo Native American jewelry artisan, Lupé Lovato. Lupé is well known for his superb artistic vision in designing his jewelry and his exceptional skill in hand-crafting beautiful top quality jewelry, using knowledge and skills passed down for generations by his Kewa ancestors. This spectacular ‘waterfall’ style 4-tiered KIngman Turquoise necklace is one of Lupé’s most stunning, creative, sought-after & rare necklaces! So in FALL 2019 pre-Covid, we placed a special order with Lupé to hand-craft one for us.  It is an honor and privilege to have the opportunity to offer this awesome jewelry treasure. At the same time, Lupé hand-crafted this set of Kingman Turquoise slab earrings. Their unusual, beautiful trapezoidal shape is another Lupé ‘original’ design.

Why does Lupé have a reputation for high quality?

• He personally hand-selects the gem stone stock to obtain the highest quality & beauty of material, as reflected in this necklace.  Even if there is a backlog of demand for his signature necklaces & earrings, he refuses to make any jewelry if high-grade gemstone stock is not available to meet his standards.  For instance, despite high demands for his jet and turquoise necklaces in 2019, he did not make any jet jewelry for months because his favorite high quality JET gemstone stock was not available—so he refused to use lower grade, soft Jet to fill the backlog of orders. Similarly, we waited several months for this necklace because Lupé hand-selelcted the top quality Kingman Turquoise stock he wanted for the necklace. Lupé still insists on using only Kingman Turquoise from the USA Kingman, AZ mine rather than using imported turquoise. In this necklace and earring set you can see why he favors the beauty of Kingman Turquoise..

• Lupé Lovato earrings and necklaces are truly ‘hand-made’. To make this stunning ‘waterfall’ style necklace, Lupe hand-selects from the Kingman Turquoise stock only the most beautiful pieces that are consistent with his vision for the necklace.  He then selects, hand-cuts, hand-shapes, hand-polishes, & hand-drills individual pieces to assemble into this beautifully proportioned ‘waterfall’ necklace.  Think about the skill & patience it takes to hand-form and string together over 400 graduated, polished turquoise discs into a smoothly graduated, evenly polished, beautiful necklace.  And each of the 20 Kingman turquoise ‘corn’ dangles is hand-selected, hand-shaped, hand-polished, and hand-drilled to form stunning ‘corn’ dangle centerpieces on each of the 4 tiers of this ‘waterfall’ necklace.

• For the earrings, he begins by envisioning the design, shape, size and beauty he wants to create from specific small pieces of slab turquoise. He then selects 2 pieces of slab that will closely match in color, design & pattern of turquoise—his matching turquoise on this pair is excellent and beautiful! Next is hand-shaping the pieces into appealing shapes; followed by polishing the surfaces & carefully drilling holes for the sterling silver wire. Unskilled or hurried work can crack, scratch, or demolish turquoise ‘slab’ because it is relatively soft material. We see this specific pair of Lupé earrings as stunningly beautiful in their simplicity, because of the beauty of the matching turquoise and the very appealing hand-formed shape.

• Another mark of ‘Lupé quality’: the special techniques he uses to ensure necklaces lay flat and form an attractive curved center when worn, and so the ‘corn’ centerpiece hangs freely—especially important in a complicated necklace like this one. [Most of us don’t think of this factor until we buy an inexpensive ‘hand-made’ necklace that binds up and won’t lie flat when worn and pinches our skin!] With larger necklaces, Lupé inserts a tiny, hand-cut, hand-polished turquoise disc before and after the 5 ‘corn’ dangles so they hang freely. He also intricately designs and shapes each ‘corn’ dangle piece so they hang freely without binding and form a closely-matched, graduated center piece for a necklace.  Failure to use these time-consuming, intricate, skilled steps results in a necklace that binds at the center when worn, refuses to lay flat on the chest, & causes the dangles to bind—a sign of lesser quality, cheaper necklaces. See our photos of his ‘waterfall’ necklace to see how beautifully it ‘wears’. 

Rare artistic vision and skill is needed to produce this lovely pair of earrings and this delightful and stunning ‘waterfall’ necklace.   We never cease to be awed when we reflect on the vision, the skill, the patience and time involved--and the fact that this ‘waterfall’ necklace contains 20 hand-shaped & polished ‘corn’ dangles and over 400 individually selected, cut, shaped, polished, & drilled turquoise discs—all done by hand.  Lupé has ‘gifted’ us amazing pieces of art that are an honor and joy to wear.  We feel privileged to be able to offer Lupé Lovato’s beautiful jewelry art. Thank you for taking the time to consider these details about Lupé’s jewelry art.  By purchasing a Lupé original, you not only help support him and his family, but also are supporting the preservation of disappearing hand crafted methods passed down thousands of years by generations of his Kewa ancestors.