Sand-cast Native American jewelry making was first introduced by Navajo silversmiths in the early days around 1840. The process begins by using a sand-cast, or tufa stone mold, then carving the design into the stone. With this mold, a piece of silver jewelry is made and may become the master template from which all other sand-cast jewelry pieces of the same design are produced.

The two materials most highly prized by the early inhabitants of America’s southwest were shell and turquoise. To obtain these raw materials far reaching trade connections were established. Historically, in the 18th and 19th centuries, inhabitants of the Rio Grande pueblos rode to the west coast to trade turquoise and other goods for shells and parrot feathers. Cerillos turquoise has been found around Mexican sites and was probably traded through Zuni pueblos to more southern tribes. Native American Jewelry designs are more fascinating than ever, have become more intricate and people all around the globe recognizes Southwestern Jewelry and the value of its heritage and soul.