Bolo Ties

The Southwest's necktie

The bolo emerged from mid-century Southwestern ranch wear and rose quickly: Arizona named it the state's official neckwear in 1971, and it has never needed an occasion since. It dresses a Western shirt, sharpens a jacket and open collar, and reads equally well at a gallery opening or a wedding in red rock country. The form is simple — a decorated slide on a braided leather cord with metal tips — which is precisely why the craftsmanship of the slide matters.

Navajo and Zuni hands

Our collection is predominantly Navajo work: substantial sterling slides, hand-stamped and worked in relief, most anchored by a single Kingman turquoise cabochon chosen for its color and matrix. Select Zuni pieces bring that pueblo's signature precision, with stones set to a lapidary's exactness. Coral and onyx slides offer a darker, quieter alternative to the classic sky blue.

Kingman turquoise

Kingman, from the Mineral Park district of northwestern Arizona, is one of the most storied turquoise sources in the Southwest — a bright, true blue, often veined with dark matrix, that has served as a benchmark for Native silversmiths for generations. A Kingman-set bolo is Arizona twice over: the state's stone tradition riding on the state's official neckwear.

Wearing it

Worn formally, the slide sits at the collar like a knot; worn easily, it drops a hand's width below an open collar. Our cords are adjustable, so one bolo moves between both registers. The silver tips are part of the composition — let them show.

Choosing your first bolo

Start with the stone: a classic Kingman blue on a substantial sterling slide is the piece that works everywhere, while onyx suits the collector who dresses dark. Consider weight — a heavier slide hangs truer — and look at the back for the maker's stamp and clean solder work, the same tells you would read on a fine cuff. Because most of our bolos are one-of-a-kind, the pairing of stone and stampwork you choose will not be repeated.