Nevada Green Turquoise with Orange Spiny Oyster, Baby Olive and Heishi Shell Necklace Santo Domingo

Our Four Strand Nevada Green Turquoise with Orange Spiny Oyster and Baby Olive Heishi Necklace is a soulful expression of Pueblo artistry, where color, material, and tradition come together in perfect harmony. Handcrafted by a young Santo Domingo (Kewa Pueblo) artisan, this necklace reflects generations of knowledge passed down through careful hands. Each strand is patiently assembled using traditional heishi techniques, transforming natural materials into a fluid, wearable story rooted in the American Southwest.

At the heart of this piece is Nevada green turquoise, prized for its earthy green tones and subtle variations that echo desert landscapes and ancient stone. Turquoise has long been revered in Pueblo culture as a stone of protection, balance, and connection to the natural world, yet today it has become increasingly difficult to source. Mines have closed, quality material is scarce, and artisans now rely on carefully preserved stashes accumulated over many years. The inclusion of this turquoise is both rare and deeply intentional, honoring a material that carries spiritual and cultural weight.

Interwoven throughout the strands are warm accents of orange spiny oyster shell, a material traditionally traded from coastal regions and cherished for its vibrant energy and life-giving symbolism. The spiny oyster’s bold color creates a striking contrast against the green turquoise, while delicate baby olive heishi beads add softness, rhythm, and a grounding earth tone. Heishi, one of the oldest forms of jewelry-making in the Southwest, requires hours of meticulous shaping and polishing, each bead cut by hand and strung with reverence for the process.

Designed to sit beautifully at the collarbone, this necklace is effortlessly versatile. Wear it alone as a statement with a simple linen dress or kaftan, or layer it with longer strands for a collected, lived-in look. What makes this piece especially meaningful is knowing it was created by an emerging artisan continuing her family’s legacy, proof that Pueblo jewelry traditions are not frozen in time, but living, evolving, and very much alive. By wearing this necklace, you carry not only rare materials, but a story of resilience, heritage, and the future of artisan craft.

Length: 12" from nape of neck

Weight: 1.8oz / 52gr

Number of Strands: 4

Bead Size: 4.5mm

Made in USA