Diné Coral Cluster Pin [SOLD]

Jewelry pieces like this coral pin were the type that Diné (Navajo) jewelers originally made for themselves as opposed to the smaller pieces made for the tourist trade. Jewelry was used as a form of savings to be pawned and redeemed as the times demanded.

Created by prize winning jeweler Calvin Martinez, this cluster pin is an example of some of the finest craftsmanship today. Greg Schaaf writes that Calvin Martinez creates classic revival jewelry in the tradition of Diné silversmiths of a century ago. He hand cuts bezels and uses the finest materials. In Schaaf's book Calvin Martinez is quoted as saying, “I look to the old silversmiths and to my culture….I am grateful that people still like the old silver pieces”.

This piece is made of magnificently-cut and shaped pieces of deep red coral set in a traditional design. With the scarcity of coral on the rise, this is a collector's item that you'll see even less examples of in the future.