Handmade in New Mexico by Navajo silversmith Burt Francisco, these Sterling Silver bezel-set natural abalone shell earrings are hand-stamped with notches at the base of the shell, and topped off with traditional silver drops.
Abalone Shell was traded extensively by the Native tribes of the Southwest and New Mexico throughout history, and is often seen in traditional Navajo jewelry. Abalone is still a favorite today. Abalone is a mollusk shell, with beautiful iridescent patterns on the inside, or nacre, of the shell.
Burt's parents taught him their traditional Navajo techniques when he was young. Burt began to successfully sell his own sterling & turquoise jewelry before his twentieth birthday.Burt's studio and home are in the rural village of Canoncito, New Mexico.Now in his mid-fifties, Burt still enjoys each new project and feels truly blessed for the skills in his hands and the joy in his heart that comes from his work.
