What is a squash blossom necklace?

The necklace has three signature elements. Plain round silver beads form the strand; flared, petaled beads — the "squash blossoms" — are spaced along each side; and a crescent pendant, the naja, hangs at the bottom center. Stones, most often turquoise, may be set into the beads and the naja or left out entirely in all-silver examples.

The name is something of a historical accident. The flared bead is widely believed to depict a pomegranate flower, a motif introduced to the Southwest through Spanish-Mexican silverwork, rather than an actual squash blossom. The crescent naja is even older: the crescent has been used as a protective amulet across many cultures for millennia and reached the Navajo by way of Spanish bridle ornaments, which themselves carried a Moorish design lineage.

Navajo silversmiths brought these elements together into the form we recognize today in the late nineteenth century, not long after silversmithing took hold among the Diné. The squash blossom quickly became a centerpiece of Navajo jewelry and a status piece within and beyond Native communities.

Today the squash blossom remains a collector's icon. Vintage examples are prized, and contemporary artists continue to make them, ranging from restrained all-silver pieces to elaborate necklaces set with dozens of turquoise stones. Because it is so closely identified with Navajo silverwork, a genuine squash blossom should come with the same documentation as every fine piece — a named maker, materials, and a certificate of authenticity.

If you are considering one, judge it the way you would any important piece: the quality and weight of the silver, the cut and setting of any stones, the cleanliness of the soldering and stamp work, and the strength of the provenance.