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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One of a Kind
The only one of its kind
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 Thu, Sep 24 – Wed, Sep 30
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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 ThunderBird - Sterling Silver Onyx, Kingman Turquoise & Mother of Pearl Pendant - 1.25x2 in. #122.
Discover this exceptional Native American Pendant, handcrafted by Zuni Pueblo artisans, meticulously crafted in Sterling Silver. This remarkable piece showcases genuine Onyx, beautifully complemented by Kingman Turquoise and Mother of Pearl. 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 Kingman Turquoise adds its own story — 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. Rounding out this composition, the Mother of Pearl brings additional character — The iridescent inner lining of mollusk shells, sourced from oceans worldwide. Native American artists, particularly from Zuni Pueblo, have long incorporated this luminous material into intricate inlay designs. This piece measures 1.25 inches wide by 2 inches tall. Nestled in the high desert of western New Mexico, Zuni Pueblo has been home to master lapidaries for generations. Zuni artists are world-renowned for their intricate inlay work, petit point, and needlepoint techniques using turquoise, coral, and shell. This piece bears the signature of artist F.C, 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: Q585905
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
Master lapidaries of the Southwest — Zuni needlepoint, petit point, channel inlay, and carved fetishes where the stone, not the silver, leads.
Art Traditions
Zuni artistry is inseparable from Zuni religious and communal life. The animal forms rendered in fetish carving correspond to the directional guardians and beings of A:shiwi cosmology — the six directions, each with its color and its protector — and fetishes hold a place in Zuni spiritual practice that long predates their making for sale. The pieces offered to the public are made with care to honor, rather than expose, what remains sacred. The Zuni have sustained their ceremonial calendar — including the great Shalako observance — through centuries of outside pressure, and adornment plays its part in that ceremonial life. Jewelry-making, meanwhile, became a cornerstone of the pueblo's economy in the twentieth century, and today a large share of Zuni households practice some aspect of the craft. Lapidary skill at Zuni is typically a family inheritance. Households often specialize — one family known for needlepoint, another for inlay, another for fetish carving — with techniques and standards passed from one generation to the next at the workbench. Humiovi honors the spiritual and familial dimension of Zuni work, presenting these pieces as the achievements of named artisans and living lineages, not as anonymous craft. This concentration of skill has made Zuni one of the most artistically productive communities in the Native world, with a depth of specialized knowledge — the cutting of a particular bezel, the carving of a particular fetish form, the fitting of a particular inlay — that is genuinely rare and not easily replaced. When that knowledge passes from a parent to a child at the bench, an entire body of technique and judgment moves with it. To buy authentic Zuni jewelry is, in a direct sense, to support the continuation of that living knowledge and the families who hold it.
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: Thu, Sep 24 – Wed, Sep 30
Complimentary US shipping on all jewelry
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.).
