Master Silversmith Bear Claw & Sterling Turquoise Statement Pendant

Exquisitely handcrafted by a master Native American artisan, this collector’s statement pendant features a genuine black bear claw set in heavy gauge sterling silver. The design is framed with intricate hand-chased feather scrollwork, twist-wire rope accents, and hand-cut saw-tooth bezels holding natural Southwestern turquoise cabochons with deep matrix veins. Designed for severe durability and heirloom value, the piece includes a oversized custom bail ready for thick silver chains or multi-strand Navajo pearls.

Detailed History & Cultural Significance

• Symbolism & Tradition: In Southwestern Native American iconography—particularly within Navajo (Diné), Zuni, and Hopi traditions—the bear represents immense strength, protection, leadership, and spiritual healing. The claw serves as a powerful talisman believed to pass the animal's physical power and protective energy to its bearer.

• The Silver & Turquoise Heritage: Southwest Native silverwork began in the mid-19th century when Navajo smiths learned ironwork and metallurgy from Spanish and Mexican plateros. Turquoise, revered for millennia as a sacred stone symbolizing sky, water, good fortune, and life-giving energy, became central to Native silver jewelry by the late 1800s.

• Mid-20th Century Craft Movement: Bear claw jewelry gained prominence during the mid-20th-century Native art revival, pioneered by renowned silversmiths who mastered heavy-gauge shadowbox casing and leaf-and-feather appliqués to securely mount natural claws.

• Artisanal Provenance: Each hand-carved leaf and hand-stamped line serves as a signature of the master artist. Modern high-end pieces seamlessly merge historic silversmithing techniques passed down through generations with refined lapidary work, making them prized pieces of wearable fine art.