Navajo Turquoise Ring
20th Century American Native American Cocktail Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century American Native American Cocktail Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century Native American Dome Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century North American Native American Band Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century Native American Signet Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver, Silver
20th Century Fashion Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Early 2000s American Native American Fashion Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century American Native American Signet Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Native American Signet Rings
Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Coral, Turquoise
Mid-20th Century American Native American Cluster Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century American Native American Cocktail Rings
Turquoise, Coral, Sterling Silver, Silver
Vintage 1950s American Native American More Jewelry
Turquoise, 14k Gold
Vintage 1970s American Native American Three-Stone Rings
Coral, Tiger s Eye, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Native American Fashion Rings
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary North American Native American Fashion Rings
Sterling Silver
20th Century American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1980s American Native American More Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American More Rings
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century American Native American Objects
Silver
Mid-20th Century Unknown Native American More Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century More Rings
20th Century American Native American Cocktail Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American More Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Native American Cocktail Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century American Cocktail Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century American Native American Cocktail Rings
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century More Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century American Native American Cocktail Rings
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1980s American Native American Fashion Rings
Coral, Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold
20th Century American Native American Cocktail Rings
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century American Native American Fashion Rings
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century Native American Fashion Rings
Turquoise, Silver, Sterling Silver
20th Century American Native American Fashion Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
1990s American Native American Dome Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American Artisan Fashion Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1980s American Artist Cocktail Rings
Lapis Lazuli, Onyx, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Modernist Solitaire Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century American Native American Cocktail Rings
Turquoise, Silver, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1960s American Native American Cocktail Rings
Turquoise, Gold, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Native American Fashion Rings
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Native American Fashion Rings
20th Century Collectible Jewelry
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary North American Artisan Fashion Rings
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1980s American Native American Fashion Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1960s American Native American Cluster Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Native American Fashion Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1980s American Native American Band Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1980s American Native American Band Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s American Native American Band Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s American Native American Band Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s American Native American Band Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s American Native American Band Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s American Native American Fashion Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Native American Solitaire Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Solitaire Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
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Navajo Turquoise Ring For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Navajo Turquoise Ring?
The Legacy of Turquoise in Jewelry Design
The thought of vintage and antique turquoise jewelry often conjures up images of striking Navajo bracelets and necklaces worn with a denim shirt and cowboy boots. This all-American look has been celebrated by fashion designers like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger on their runways and in ad campaigns. In the October 2016 issue of Vogue magazine, Tom Ford said he only wears turquoise jewelry at his Santa Fe ranch. So what is it about this gorgeous blue-green stone that makes us wish that we were born in December?
It’s not surprising that turquoise is abundant in New Mexico and Arizona because, according to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), it needs to be in “dry and barren regions where acidic, copper-rich groundwater seeps downward and reacts with minerals that contain phosphorus and aluminum.
Turquoise is not found in a single crystal but is a combination of microcrystals. Its appearance, waxy and opaque, is attributed to its structure and composition. “It’s an aggregate of microscopic crystals that form a solid mass. If the crystals are packed closely together, the material is less porous, so it has a finer texture. Fine-textured turquoise has an attractive, waxy luster when it’s polished. Turquoise with a less-dense crystal structure has higher porosity and coarser texture, resulting in a dull luster when it’s polished,” notes the GIA. Since no one wants to set a dull piece of turquoise, porous turquoise is often treated to make the stone more attractive.
In the United States, there have been discoveries of turquoise from 200 B.C. It is not just loose turquoise stones that have been found, but entire suites of jewelry from prehistoric times. In the late 19th-century, the Navajo Indians, who learned silversmithing from the Spanish, started to make beads out of turquoise and eventually combined it with silver around the 1880s. Initially this jewelry was for ceremonial purposes, but it became fashionable once the tourism in the Southwest picked up in the beginning of the 20th century.
Find antique and vintage turquoise rings, necklaces, bracelets and other accessories on 1stDibs.
Finding the Right Rings for You
Antique and vintage rings have long held a special place in the hearts of fine jewelry lovers all over the world.
No matter their origin or specific characteristics, rings are timeless, versatile accessories. They’ve carried deep meaning since at least the Middle Ages, when diamond rings symbolized strength and other kinds of rings were worn to signify romantic feelings or to denote an affiliation with a religious order. Rings have also forever been emblematic of eternity.
Over time, rings have frequently taken the form of serpents, which have long been associated with eternal life, health and renewal. Italian luxury jewelry house Bulgari has become famous for its widely loved Serpenti motif, for example, and its Serpenti ring, like the other accessories in the collection, began as an homage to jewelry of the Roman and Hellenistic eras. The serpent is now a popular motif in fine jewelry. Jewelry devotees have long pined for rings adorned with reptiles, thanks to antique Victorian rings — well, specifically, Queen Victoria’s illustrious engagement ring, which took the form of a gold snake set with rubies, diamonds and an emerald (her birthstone). Designs for Victorian-era engagement rings often featured repoussé work and chasing, in which patterns are hammered into the metal.
Engagement rings, which are reliably intimidating to shop for, are still widely recognized as symbols of love and commitment. On 1stDibs, a range of buying guides can be found for those in the market for antique engagement rings, vintage engagement rings or Art Deco engagement rings.
The most collectible antique engagement rings and vintage engagement rings are those from the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco eras. Named for the monarchies of the four King Georges, who in succession ruled England starting in 1714 (plus King William’s reign), antique Georgian rings, be they engagement rings or otherwise, are also coveted by collectors. Pearls, along with colored gemstones like garnets, rubies and sapphires, were widely used in Georgian jewelry. The late-1700s paste jewelry was a predecessor to what we now call fashion or costume jewelry.
The Art Nouveau movement (1880–1910) brought with it rings inspired by the natural world. Antique Art Nouveau rings might feature depictions of winged insects and fauna as well as women, who were simultaneously eroticized and romanticized, frequently with long flowing hair. Art Deco jewelry, on the other hand, which originated during the 1920s and ’30s, is by and large “white jewelry.” White metals, primarily platinum, were favored over yellow gold in the design of antique Art Deco rings and other accessories as well as geometric motifs, with women drawn to the era’s dazzling cocktail rings in particular.
Whether you’re hunting down a chunky classic for a Prohibition-themed cocktail party or seeking a clean contemporary design to complement your casual ensemble, find an exquisite collection of antique, new and vintage rings on 1stDibs.
- What is a Navajo ring?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022A Navajo ring is a silver ring crafted with ornate designs. These designs can be simple swirls or complex skulls. The ring features a stone as its centerpiece, usually turquoise, malachite or obsidian. Shop a collection of Navajo jewelry from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- Can I get my turquoise ring wet?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022No, you should avoid getting your turquoise ring wet. Turquoise is porous so water, especially warm water, could potentially cause damage and alter the color of your stone. Shop a collection of expertly vetted gems from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.