Rare Sleeping Beauty Turquoise and Heishi with Silver Kokopelli Necklace Santo Domingo

Created from a dwindling reserve of Sleeping Beauty turquoise, this necklace stands as both a collector’s treasure and a living testament to Pueblo artistry. Each bead reflects not only the rarity of this extraordinary stone but also the mastery of a female Santo Domingo artisan who carries forward centuries of tradition. One of the few remaining jewelers who still cut, shape, and drill every bead by hand, she practices a craft that demands patience, precision, and devotion. Her work has been honored at the National Museum of the American Indian in New York, yet remains deeply rooted in her family’s legacy, taught by her mother and grandmother and now passed on to her daughter, who helped create this very necklace.

The Santo Domingo Pueblo has long been celebrated for transforming turquoise and shell into exquisite hand-cut beads. This necklace honors that lineage while standing apart for the rarity of its materials. The stones come from the artist’s private collection, gathered years ago when Sleeping Beauty turquoise was more accessible. With the Globe, Arizona mine long closed, turquoise of this clarity and size is now almost impossible to find. Its luminous robin’s-egg blue, pure and matrix-free, has made Sleeping Beauty one of the most coveted stones in the world, symbolizing both beauty and balance.

In Pueblo tradition, turquoise represents the element of Earth, grounding the wearer in strength, stability, and ancestral connection, while shell embodies Water, flowing with cleansing energy and emotional renewal. Together, these elements form a sacred harmony that unites earth and water, balancing strength with serenity and grounding the energy of the person who wears it. This union of natural forces infuses the necklace with deep spiritual meaning, transforming it into a talisman of equilibrium and protection.

The hand-stamped sterling silver Kokopelli beads add yet another layer of symbolism. Kokopelli, the joyful flute player, is one of the most beloved figures in Native American culture, representing abundance, fertility, and the song of life itself. His presence alongside these sacred materials enhances the necklace’s spirit, making it not only a piece of jewelry but also a symbol of joy, harmony, and vitality.

Jean Marie, our founder, holds a deeply personal relationship with this artisan and her family, who craft these extraordinary pieces exclusively for us. Each necklace embodies generations of skill, respect for the Earth, and an unbroken bond between artist and wearer. To wear it is to hold a piece of geological, cultural, and human history,a rare creation that carries the energy of the land, the flow of the water, and the enduring spirit of the hands that shaped it.

Necklace Length: 20.5" end to end

Weight 1.7 oz / 48 gr

Bead size: 8.1 mm

Made in USA