Navajo Silver, Squash Blossom, 14k Gold w/ Diamonds and More

[diggummup]

Picked these pieces up around the corner from my house this morning at a "multi family" garage sale.




The big sterling bead necklace with the huge ebony cabochon is signed RL sterling. I have to do some more research to see which RL it is. There are a few listed Navajo silversmiths that use those initials. It weighs 161 grams, 81 pendant and 80 beads.





The Squash Blossom necklace is by ? Begay. Don't know if Kenneth yet, may be Keyonnie. Nice older looking handmade piece with fluted beads. It's small though at 16" and only weighs 45 grams. There are no only stones in this piece.



The gold necklace weighs 9.6 grams and is marked 14k and Italy with a makers mark. The clasp is also marked with .585. The diamonds look real though I haven't had it looked at yet. They measure 2.75 mm each. Probably lower quality I'm sure, since they are so small.



The two pins are both 800 silver, 12 grams together, both vintage.





I paid $66 for all of these. The gold was tagged 14k and had a $20 price on it. The big necklace was marked $35. I got it and the Squash blossom for $40. The other 2 pieces were $6 for both. These were the prices he offered me. Who was I to argue?

Not pictured... I also bought 14 different years of Danbury Mint Miami Dolphins Ornaments NIB for $1 each and a signed (4 players) Miami Dolphins Hardhat with the original box for $5. At this same sale just a different seller. Not really a Dolfan but I figure the ornaments are good for about $10 each. The hardhat I'll probably give to my son in law, maybe.

 

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[randazzo1]

Amazing jewelry finds! I’m def jelly.

 

[Hawks88]

Good eye. You definitely got some nice jewelry. Congrats

 

[jason4kstate]

The beads on the onyx pendant are very expensive. They are probably more valuable than the pendant. They are called Navajo pearls.

 

[diggummup]

The beads on the onyx pendant are very expensive. They are probably more valuable than the pendant. They are called Navajo pearls.

Yes they appear to be, under a loupe you can barely make out a seam line. The fluted beads on the squash blossom necklace I can't tell if they are bench made or handmade, I'm leaning towards handmade, though the seams are much more prominent. The squash blossoms are handmade for sure.

 

[JimDon]

Awesome scores all around. Those Native American pieces are a home run

 

[SCpicker]

The fluted beads look bench made to me. The diamonds in the necklace are real. Great finds all around!

 

[Drmad7]

Great group of scores!

 

[diggummup]

The fluted beads look bench made to me. The diamonds in the necklace are real. Great finds all around!

I'm still learning so educate me if you can. Besides slight irregularities in the beads, how do you tell bench made from handmade? Is it the quality of the seam? As well as the weight of the bead? Handmade tend to be heavier, more solid no?

 

[trdhrdr007]

The fluted beads look bench made to me. The diamonds in the necklace are real. Great finds all around!

How do you know the diamonds are real? I've seen plenty of pieces with real diamonds or CZ, can't tell the difference in hand without a tester, and darn sure can't tell from a picture.

 

[SCpicker]

The beads look pretty uniform to me. Hand made beads are pretty rare nowadays and usually have more irregularities. Not always the case and tough to tell from pics. Diamonds reflect light differently from czs and other simulants. I know some jewelers that can’t tell cz or mossanite from a diamond without a special tester. I’m not giving away any secrets but a dead giveaway is I can see the inclusions in the diamonds in digs pics. Also the color of the stones just a tad off white. The way they’re just set with 2 prongs is a sign they’re lower quality. They probably still sparkle and the necklace is worth more than 10x what he paid so it’s all good!

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Very nice pieces!