Navajo Indian Sterling Silver Bench Beads Turquoise Stone Heishi Beads Necklace For Sale

Being offered is a truly vintage Navajo Indian made jewelry necklace. The necklace is crafted from the old Navajo sterling silver bench beads. These are called Navajo pearls, and were hand made by hammering out each half of the bead and then connecting each half. These are no longer made as they are labor intensive. There are two sizes of beads, the large ones are approx. 5/16" wide, and the smaller sized beads are approx. 1/4" wide. The necklace also has the old hand cut turquoise stone heishi beads. The necklace is strung on metal mesh or braided wire which looks to also be sterling, and the hooks are sterling silver. The hooks have a small stylized sterling extension hook. The necklace came loose at one of the hooks and was professionally cleaned, restrung, and repaired with all its original parts by a Navajo silversmith in Gallop, New Mexico. This is truly a superb antique Navajo necklace. The necklace does show the typical age related wearing for a piece this old. The necklace is approx. 16 3/8" long with the extension. The necklace weighs approx. 13.4 grams.