Vintage 1970s Zuni Sterling Silver Inlaid Turquoise, Onyx, and Mother of Pearl Dangle Earrings

These vintage Zuni earrings from the 1970s are hand-crafted. They feature blue turquoise, onyx, and mother-of-pearl shells inlaid into sterling silver. The bright blue turquoise pops against the black onyx and iridescent mother-of-pearl. These are fun diamond-shaped dangle earrings to add to your collection!

Turquoise originates from the 17th-century French word "turquois," which is derived from the Turkish word for turquoise, the major exporter of the gem to Europe. Turquoise was first mined over 5,000 years ago in the Sinai Peninsula and was used to adorn ancient Egyptian jewelry and clothing. The ancient Persians have been mining turquoise for 2,000 years and used it to cap their palace domes, symbolizing heaven on Earth. Pre-Columbian Native Americans mined turquoise from Central Mexico to the southwestern US.

To learn more about turquoise, read our blog post here.

The earrings are in very good vintage condition with minimal signs of wear. Under magnification, the stones and silver surface show slight signs of wear, but no stones are chipped or cracked. The silver has a moderate layer of patina that can be polished upon request. One earring back is marked A & F H‘ ZUNI.

The earrings measure 1-7/8" tall and 1/2" wide and weigh 7.38 grams. The box is for display only