Artisan Handmade Campitos Turquoise Earrings FJE1965

Most saw work involves a coping saw with a very fine blade.  The saw itself does the work and there is little pressure other than the up and down motion.  When cutting around corners the silver itself is moved, much like a mounted jigsaw.  Notching, scrollwork and overlay all use a coping saw.  Shaped wire such as triangle are often used.  They're notched and soldered on standing sideways to give the piece more depth and dimension.

Mined in Mexico from the Pino Chueco and Cananea mines in Sonora, Campitos Turquoise was mined extensively in ancient times, with evidence of trade with Native American peoples. Campitos is unique in several ways. It grows in clay as free-form nuggets, rather than as veins which are typical of many North American turquoises. Its color is said to most closely resemble Sleeping Beauty Turquoise, and ranges from a light to medium blue with no matrix, and occasionally pyrite inclusions, giving it a bit of sparkle. A lovely, hard stone with beautiful color, Campitos is a favorite for jewelry artisans. The mine as we know it today has been producing since the 1980's. Campito in Spanish is a derivative of the word “campo”, meaning “field” or “countryside”.