Turquoise and Abalone Shell Necklace Santo Domingo

Our Turquoise & Abalone Shell Santo Domingo Necklace has the feeling of water, sky, and earth coming together in one beautifully understated piece. Commissioned especially for us, this multi-strand necklace was handmade by a female Santo Domingo (Kewa) Pueblo artisan, using turquoise accented with abalone shell. The turquoise ranges naturally from clear sky blues to softer blue-green tones, while the abalone introduces small flashes of silvery green, gray, and iridescence. Those subtle changes in color give the necklace its wonderful depth and make every strand feel alive.

Turquoise has held an important place in Southwestern jewelry for generations, treasured not only for its extraordinary color but also for the individuality found within each stone. Natural variations in matrix and tone mean that no two beads are completely alike. Abalone shell adds another dimension, formed by the sea and prized for its luminous, shifting surface. Depending on the light, it can reveal hints of green, blue, silver, and even violet. Against turquoise, its quiet iridescence feels almost like sunlight moving across water.

The necklace also carries the unmistakable tradition of Santo Domingo Pueblo, also known as Kewa Pueblo, whose artists are renowned for their exceptional bead and heishi work. Creating these small beads is painstaking: material must be cut, drilled, shaped, ground, polished, and carefully strung. The beauty lies in repetition and balance, hundreds of individual elements coming together in strands that feel remarkably fluid when worn.

For Jean Marie, pieces like this begin with friendship and collaboration. She works closely with the artisan, sharing ideas about materials and color while respecting the knowledge and artistic traditions she brings to every necklace. This piece was created especially for us through that relationship. Its turquoise and shimmering abalone tell two stories, one of the deserts and one of the seas, brought together through the hands of a Kewa woman and a friendship Jean Marie deeply values.

Number of strands: 3 

Length: 18.5¨

Made in New Mexico, USA