Loloma, Charles Sterling Silver and 14k Gold Pendant “Blue Lace Turquoise”
$15,000.00
Charles Loloma · Hopi
Blue Lace Turquoise Pendant in Silver and Gold
This Charles Loloma turquoise pendant is handmade in sterling silver with a 14k gold bezel and bail, set with Blue Lace turquoise. Charles Loloma made it in 1980, more than two decades into his jewelry career. It is hand engraved on the back with his stylized “Loloma” signature.
Metal — Sterling silver with a 14k gold bezel and bail
Stone — Blue Lace turquoise
Date — 1980
Dimensions — 2⅛ in. L × 1⅛ in. W; bail opening ¼ in.
Hallmark — Hand engraved “Loloma” on the back in his stylized signature
A Charles Loloma Turquoise Pendant from 1980
Loloma helped bring gold into Hopi jewelry, which had traditionally been made in silver. Here, the 14k gold bezel frames the turquoise and the gold bail carries the warmth up to the chain, while the silver body keeps the design clean. The contrast draws the eye straight to the stone.
The pendant measures 2⅛ in. long and 1⅛ in. wide, a size that reads clearly on its own without feeling heavy. The bail opening is ¼ in., so it will take most chains or a slim cord.
About Charles Loloma
Charles Loloma (1921–1991) was born in Hotevilla on Hopi Third Mesa. After serving in the Army during World War II, he studied at the School for American Craftsmen at Alfred University on the GI Bill and began making jewelry in 1955. He introduced gold and stones new to Hopi jewelry, developed his signature inlay of stones set at varying heights, and often set hidden “inner gems” inside his pieces. He helped found the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe in 1962 and won first prize at the Scottsdale National Indian Arts Exhibition seven years in a row. Today, a signed Charles Loloma turquoise pendant is a lasting example of the work that changed Native American jewelry.
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