Rare Red Spiny Oyster and Black Jet Graduated Necklace Santo Domingo

Our Red Spiny Oyster and Black Jet Graduated Necklace Santo Domingo is a radiant celebration of artistry, heritage, and nature’s brilliance. Handcrafted by our distinguished Santo Domingo Pueblo (Kewa Pueblo) artist, whose museum-quality creations are featured at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in New York City, this necklace is an extraordinary example of traditional craftsmanship brought to life with modern elegance. Made exclusively for Pax Philomena, each bead is hand-cut, shaped, and polished with a precision that can only come from generations of mastery.

The necklace features the vibrant red spiny oyster shell, a material long treasured by Native American artisans of the Southwest. Sourced from the warm waters of the Gulf of California, these shells are carefully harvested by skilled free divers, who bring them up from depths of the ocean where they cling to rocky reefs. The process is both arduous and reverent, a true collaboration between human endurance and the natural world. Once gathered, the shells are meticulously cleaned, cut, and transformed into the stunning, striated beads that give this necklace its fiery beauty.

The graduated design enhances the piece’s organic rhythm, with each disc-shaped bead flowing harmoniously into the next. The deep red tones, streaked with coral orange and cream, glow with warmth and vitality, while the touches of darker shell add depth and contrast. To contrast the Spiny Oyster, Black Jet has been inserted on either side adding a touch of variety to this unique piece. The result is a necklace that feels both grounding and empowering, a reflection of the earth and sea united in wearable form.

For the Santo Domingo artisans, spiny oyster has always symbolized life, creativity, and connection to the elements. Its rich colors echo the desert sunsets and the sacred landscapes of the Southwest. Wearing this necklace is not just a gesture of style, but a way of honoring the natural world and the traditions that preserve its beauty.

Jean Marie herself fell in love with the vivid spirit of this piece,  its warmth, its boldness, and its undeniable sense of soul. It embodies everything she admires about Native artistry: integrity, patience, and passion for creation.

Our Red Spiny Oyster Graduated Necklace Santo Domingo is a treasure of culture and craftsmanship,  a piece that carries the essence of the ocean, the desert, and the hands that shaped it. Elegant, timeless, and luminous, it is more than jewelry; it is a story of artistry and devotion, meant to be worn and cherished for generations.

Weight: 1.3oz / 38g

Length: 18"

Bead size range goes from: 4.1 mm  to 10.1 mm

Made in USA