Inv. # JNJC5Th1903

Guarantee:    27.5” long, 5-strand turquoise and brown clam shell heishi necklace by Native American KEWA artisan, Jennifer Calabaza. 82 grams total weight. Sterling Silver end cones and clasps. Newly crafted by Jennifer Calabaza in 2019. Since its crafting by Jennifer, it has NOT been previously sold, used, or worn. We do NOT allow returns, so it has remained in as new inventory.

Size: 27.5 inches long. 82 grams total weight.

Price:  $360 regular price, including FREE Priority Mail & insurance.

Detailed Description:  5-strand turquoise and brown clam shell heishi necklace newly crafted in 2019 by Kewa Native American artist Jennifer Calabaza. It measures approximately 27.5” long end-to-end. Each end consists of 1” long Sterling Silver clasp and cone, followed by 2.3” of each strand covered with brown clam shell heishi and the rest of each strand comprised of irregular-shaped small turquoise stones, spaced approx. 0.2” apart by 6-9 brown clam shell heishi beads.  Turquoise: ach strand contains 60+ turquoise pieces, so the 5 strands contain a total of 300+ turquoise pieces of irregular thickness and shape: from 0.2 to 0.4 inches in length & 0.02 to 0.13 inch thickness. Heishi: the brown clam shell heishi beads are circular in shape ranging between 0.09 to 0.1” diameter and 0.01” to 0.05” thickness. Each strand contains over 550 heishi beads, resulting in a 5-strand total of 2500-3000 hand-strung heishi.  Shape and thickness irregularities are due to natural shell and turquoise characteristics and effects of polishing and hole-drilling the individual pieces.

Detailed Dimensions.  [Measurements are approximate, using a micrometer; there are minor variations inherent in hand-made jewelry and consistent with variations in natural materials.]

·      Total end-to-end length:  27.5” including Sterling Silver clasps & end cones 

·      Clam shell heishi bead diameter variation:  approx. 0.09>>0.1”

·      Clam shell heishi bead thickness variation: 0.01” to 0.05”

·      Irregular-shaped Turquoise pieces- length variation:  0.2 to 0.4”

·      Irregular-shaped Turquoise pieces- thickness variation: 0.02 to 0.13” within & between pieces

·      Weight:  82 grams

Comments:  We are pleased to offer this attractive 5-strand necklace by Kewa [Santo Domingo] Native American necklace artist Jennifer Calabaza.  

Jennifer’s turquoise and heishi necklaces are moderately priced because Jennifer does NOT cut, polish and drill her own turquoise stones or heishi.   She purchases the heishi and turquoise already cut, polished and drilled, as do other of the more moderately priced Native American jewelry artists.  Jennifer then decides on the necklace design she wants to create, selects individual turquoise pieces, arranges and strings the heishi and turquoise consistent with her vision for the necklace.  Think of the skill and patience involved in envisioning and stringing over 2500 tiny heishi beads interspersed with over 300 turquoise stones.  Obviously, any multi-strand necklace that contained hand-formed, hand-polished and hand-drilled turquoise and heishi would be much more expensive due to the hundreds of hours required to do so.

We appreciate your time and interest in considering Jennifer’s attractive and modestly priced necklaces.  This style of necklace looks great in either informal or formal situations. In purchasing this authentic Native American jewelry, you also are supporting the preservation of art and culture passed down by generations of Kewa Native Americans.