I had one of those moments with this necklace that happens more often than I’d like to admit.
I picked it up because I liked the turquoise.
Then I flipped it over.
Then I picked it up again.
Then I spent the next five minutes trying to figure out why it felt so… familiar.
It finally hit me.
This is exactly what people picture when they hear the words old pawn squash blossom.
Not because it’s flashy.
Because everything is in proportion.
The blossoms aren’t oversized. The naja isn’t trying to steal the show. Even the silver has that soft, honest patina that only comes from decades of being worn instead of sitting in a display case. Then there’s the Blue Gem turquoise—bright, clean, unmistakably alive against all that mellow silver.
It’s the kind of necklace that reminds you why this design became an icon in the first place.
Before galleries.
Before social media.
Before people started chasing names.
Someone made this because they knew exactly what looked right.
Turns out…
They were right.
Artifact Registry
Artifact: Blue Ribbon
Maker: Vintage Navajo (Unsigned)
Tribe: Navajo (Diné)
Date: Mid-20th Century (estimated)
Materials: Sterling Silver & Natural Blue Gem Turquoise
Form: Traditional Squash Blossom Necklace
Length: 28 inches
Weight: 174 grams
Construction: Hand-fabricated sterling silver squash blossom necklace with graduated blossoms, traditional naja, hand-made Navajo pearls, and natural Blue Gem turquoise cabochons throughout.
Collector’s Gallery Value: $5,800–7,000
Estimated value for a comparable vintage Blue Gem turquoise squash blossom necklace offered through a premier Southwestern gallery or specialist Native American art dealer.
Curator’s Field Observation
Blue Gem turquoise has long been prized for its saturated robin’s-egg blue color and relatively limited production, making vintage examples increasingly sought after by collectors. This necklace reflects the balanced proportions characteristic of classic Navajo squash blossom design, where the relationship between silverwork, turquoise, and negative space is allowed to speak for itself. At 174 grams, it has the substantial feel collectors expect from a high-quality vintage example without sacrificing elegance.
Eric’s Notes from the Field
This is one of those necklaces that doesn’t need a gimmick.
It doesn’t need an unusual shape.
It doesn’t need twenty different stones.
It just quietly reminds you why squash blossoms became one of the most recognizable forms in Native American jewelry.
The Blue Gem is fantastic.
The silver has aged beautifully.
And the proportions are exactly what I hope to find every time I go digging through an estate.
Honestly…
If someone asked me to describe a classic vintage squash blossom in one piece…
I had one of those moments with this necklace that happens more often than I’d like to admit.
I picked it up because I liked the turquoise.
Then I flipped it over.
Then I picked it up again.
Then I spent the next five minutes trying to figure out why it felt so… familiar.
It finally hit me.
This is exactly what people picture when they hear the words old pawn squash blossom.
Not because it’s flashy.
Because everything is in proportion.
The blossoms aren’t oversized. The naja isn’t trying to steal the show. Even the silver has that soft, honest patina that only comes from decades of being worn instead of sitting in a display case. Then there’s the Blue Gem turquoise—bright, clean, unmistakably alive against all that mellow silver.
It’s the kind of necklace that reminds you why this design became an icon in the first place.
Before galleries.
Before social media.
Before people started chasing names.
Someone made this because they knew exactly what looked right.
Turns out…
They were right.
Artifact Registry
Artifact: Blue Ribbon
Maker: Vintage Navajo (Unsigned)
Tribe: Navajo (Diné)
Date: Mid-20th Century (estimated)
Materials: Sterling Silver & Natural Blue Gem Turquoise
Form: Traditional Squash Blossom Necklace
Length: 28 inches
Weight: 174 grams
Construction: Hand-fabricated sterling silver squash blossom necklace with graduated blossoms, traditional naja, hand-made Navajo pearls, and natural Blue Gem turquoise cabochons throughout.
Collector’s Gallery Value: $5,800–7,000
Estimated value for a comparable vintage Blue Gem turquoise squash blossom necklace offered through a premier Southwestern gallery or specialist Native American art dealer.
Curator’s Field Observation
Blue Gem turquoise has long been prized for its saturated robin’s-egg blue color and relatively limited production, making vintage examples increasingly sought after by collectors. This necklace reflects the balanced proportions characteristic of classic Navajo squash blossom design, where the relationship between silverwork, turquoise, and negative space is allowed to speak for itself. At 174 grams, it has the substantial feel collectors expect from a high-quality vintage example without sacrificing elegance.
Eric’s Notes from the Field
This is one of those necklaces that doesn’t need a gimmick.
It doesn’t need an unusual shape.
It doesn’t need twenty different stones.
It just quietly reminds you why squash blossoms became one of the most recognizable forms in Native American jewelry.
The Blue Gem is fantastic.
The silver has aged beautifully.
And the proportions are exactly what I hope to find every time I go digging through an estate.
Honestly…
If someone asked me to describe a classic vintage squash blossom in one piece…
