I come from the land of huge belt buckles, bolo ties, chunky silver bracelets, and most importantly, turquoise. If you guessed New Mexico, ding ding ding.
One thing I love about home (almost as much as the food) is that everyone wears jewelry. Babies start early with tiny pierced ears and little silver or gold bracelets. Kids sometimes have jewelry woven into their hair and adorning their Southwestern belts. Men wear silver and turquoise cuff bracelets as large as their belt buckles. Jewelry decorates cowboy hats and boots. Snake motifs are everywhere. Big rings are on everyone.
Young people wear colorful bolo ties and feathered brooches. Women layer on oversized silver earrings and multi-strand turquoise necklaces. In New Mexico, more is always more, and more is always better.
Delicate gold jewelry belongs to the rest of the world. Massive silver statement pieces belong to the desert dwellers, the people of the Land of Enchantment and green chile.
Like so much of Southwestern culture, we owe an enormous debt to the Indigenous communities of New Mexico and the greater Southwest. The use of turquoise, silver, colorful stones, feathers, and powerful symbolism has influenced the region’s visual language for hundreds of years. Indigenous makers and artists have shaped the landscape of Southwestern jewelry in ways that are impossible to overstate and made all of us FAR more stylish in the process.
If you’re ever lucky enough to visit New Mexico, the jewelry markets and vendors surrounding the plazas of Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Taos offer some of the most memorable and exciting jewelry experiences you’ll find anywhere.
NM is home, big jewelry is home.
— Helena
