The Kingman mine in Mohave County, Arizona has operated continuously since the late nineteenth century, producing turquoise in a remarkable color range from sky blue to deep blue-green, with its spider-web matrix specimens ranking among the most valued turquoise in the world.
From its discovery in the copper-rich hills near Globe, Arizona in the 1920s to the mine's permanent closure in 2012, Sleeping Beauty turquoise has undergone a transformation from abundant commercial stone to one of the most coveted minerals in the gemological world, with prices increasing 300-400% since the final extraction.
Provenance
Offered by The Humiovi — family-owned in Sedona, Arizona, since 1972. Every piece in our gallery has a known origin and a verified maker.
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WARNING: This product can expose you to lead and cadmium, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer and reproductive harm. For more information go to P65Warnings.ca.gov.
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Arrives Wed, Sep 23 – Tue, Sep 29Ships today
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Indian Arts and Crafts Act Compliant
Every piece is accompanied by a signed Certificate of Authenticity, documenting its provenance and recorded below for Elk - Sterling Silver Onyx, Picture Jasper & Kingman Turquoise Pendant - 1.25x2 in. #117.
Discover this exceptional Native American Pendant, handcrafted by Navajo (Diné) artisans, meticulously crafted in Sterling Silver. This remarkable piece showcases genuine Onyx, beautifully complemented by Picture Jasper and Kingman Turquoise. The Onyx featured in this piece carries a rich heritage — Found in deposits across the world including Mexico, Brazil, and the United States. Black onyx has been polished and carved for thousands of years, representing strength and protection in many cultures. Complementing the design, the Picture Jasper adds its own story — Mined across the American West, including Idaho and Oregon, picture jasper displays stunning natural landscape scenes formed over millions of years by mineral deposits. Each stone tells its own geological story through sweeping patterns of tan, brown, and cream that resemble the desert mesas, mountain ranges, and canyon walls of the Southwest. Rounding out this composition, the Kingman Turquoise brings additional character — From the Kingman mine in northwestern Arizona, one of the oldest and largest turquoise mines in North America. Operating since the 1880s, it produces classic blue turquoise with distinctive white and black matrix. This piece measures 1.25 inches wide by 2 inches tall. The Navajo Nation spans 27,000 square miles across Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, making it the largest Native American reservation. Navajo silversmiths learned their craft in the 1860s and developed iconic styles including squash blossom necklaces and concho belts. This piece bears the signature of artist T. Gustine, a mark of authenticity and personal craftsmanship. Every piece at Humiovi is one-of-a-kind — once sold, it can never be replicated. Ships from our gallery in Sedona, Arizona.
SKU: D164888
Provenance
Kingman, Arizona
Characteristics
Mined in the Mineral Park district of northwestern Arizona, Kingman is among the most storied and prolific turquoise sources in the American Southwest. Its signature bright, sky-blue color — often laced with black, brown, or silvery pyrite matrix — has made it a benchmark stone for Native American silversmiths for generations, and "Kingman blue" remains a standard against which other turquoise is judged.
Heritage
The largest Native nation in the United States and the founders of Southwestern silversmithing — bold silver and turquoise from Diné Bikéyah.
Art Traditions
For the Diné, silver and turquoise are far more than ornament. Turquoise — dootłʼizhii — is a protective and sacred stone woven through Navajo ceremony, song, and the creation narratives of the Holy People. It is associated with sky, water, and blessing; to wear it is to carry a piece of the living landscape and the harmony, or hózhó, that Diné life seeks to maintain. Jewelry also functions as portable wealth and as a record of family. Pieces are pawned and redeemed, inherited, and worn at ceremonies, dances, weddings, and gatherings as expressions of status, identity, and belonging. A great deal of the finest Navajo work was never made for sale at all — it was made to be worn by the maker's own family, and "old pawn" that was never reclaimed is prized today precisely because it was made to Native standards rather than for the tourist trade. The craft is typically learned within families and at the bench, passed from one generation to the next. To buy Navajo jewelry is to participate in a living economy that has sustained Diné households for a century and a half. Humiovi presents Navajo work with respect for this depth of meaning, honoring the artisans and the cultural continuity their work represents rather than reducing it to decoration. Certain pieces carry particular weight within a family. A squash blossom necklace or a fine concho belt is often a household's signal heirloom, worn at ceremonies, weddings, and major life events and handed down deliberately from one generation to the next. To receive or inherit such a piece is to receive a measure of the family's history along with the silver. This is part of why the very best Navajo work has always been made first for the maker's own people, to Diné standards rather than to the expectations of the tourist trade — and why a piece made in that spirit, even when it eventually reaches the market, carries an integrity that mass production cannot imitate.
Cared for thoughtfully, a handcrafted piece is meant to last generations. A few essentials for this one:
Turquoise
A soft, porous stone — keep it dry and away from perfume, lotion, and household chemicals so its color stays true.
Sterling silver
Buff with a soft polishing cloth — leaving intentional oxidation intact — and store airtight to slow tarnish.
Last on, first off
Put your piece on after fragrance, lotion, and hairspray — and take it off before water, sleep, and sport.
Store with care
Keep each piece in its own soft pouch, away from direct sun and damp, so softer stones never meet harder ones.
Estimated delivery: Wed, Sep 23 – Tue, Sep 29
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Order by 2pm MST for same-day processing
Certificate of Authenticity
Every purchase includes a Certificate of Authenticity documenting the artist, tribal affiliation, and materials used in your piece.
Returns & Exchanges
Return within 30 days of delivery. Exchanges for an item of equal or greater value carry no restocking fee; refund returns are subject to a 20% restocking fee, with return shipping paid by you. Items must be in new, unworn, and unused condition with all original packaging — your Certificate of Authenticity is yours to keep. Custom and personalized pieces are not eligible.
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Authenticity Guarantee
This item is guaranteed authentic, handcrafted by a member of a federally recognized Native American tribe, in full compliance with the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (25 U.S.C. § 305 et seq.).
