Zuni 106 - Vintage Zuni inlay Rainbow yei ring

Circa 1970 - Zuni handcrafted ring featuring the Hemis kachina dancer inlay image. Natural mother of pearl. Historically the Hemis kachina has been used to pray for rain for the years coming harvest. This image is seen in all types of jewelry and carvings. This particular ring measures approximately 1" x 5/8". It has heavy guage silver which allow for deep stamp work on the sides of the ring.White Mother of Pearl shell makes up the background of the inlay ed image which is done in red coral, turquoise and black jet. It is a beautiful ring.Please specify your size when ordering and would be happy to size it for you. The following stones & materials are used in this ring: Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by weight of silver and 7.5% by weight of other metals, usually copper. The sterling silver standard has a minimum millesimal fineness of 925. SILVER, for example 99.9% pure silver, is relatively soft, so silver is usually alloyed with copper to increase its hardness and strength. Sterling silver is prone to tarnishing, and elements other than copper can be used in alloys to reduce tarnishing, as well as casting porosity and fire scale. Such elements include germanium, zinc, platinum, silicon, and boron. Recent examples of alloys using these metals include argentium, sterlium, sterilite and silvadium. Red coral (Corallium Rubrum) comes from certain areas, such as the Mediterranean, where the specific water temperature and conditions allow coral to thrive. Coral is a hardened tube or branch. Only about 10% of coral is considered jewelry quality. Coral comes in shades from blood-red to orange to pink to white. Although coral has been used by Stone Age peoples as long as 30,000 years ago to decorate sepulchers (burial vaults), Native American artists have only used coral for the last 600 years. Jet ( black ) is a product of high-pressure decomposition of wood from millions of years ago, commonly the wood of trees. Jet is found in two forms, hard and soft. Hard jet is the result of carbon compression and salt water; soft jet is the result of carbon compression and fresh water. Native American Navajo and Pueblo tribes of New Mexico were using regionally mined jet for jewelry and the ornamentation of weapons when early Spanish explorers reached the area in the 1500’s.Today these jet deposits are known as Acoma jet, for the Acoma Pueblo. White Mother of Pearl The provenance story of the White Mother of Pearl shell begins in the remote crystal clear turquoise waters of Northern Australia, nurturing and growing the sought after White South Sea Pearls. The lustrous pearly white color of the shells reflect the pristine natural environment in which they are formed and shells from this area are renowned to have the purest white coloring. Lone Mountain Turquoise The Lone Mountain turquoise mine is located in Esmeralda County, Nevada. The turquoise is noted for its ability to hold its color and not fade. Usually found in nodules, Lone Mountain turquoise ranges in color from clear blue to spider-web. Because Lone Mountain turquoise holds its beautiful blue color well, it is a great addition to one's jewelry collection, lone mountain like the turquoise pictured is very rare these days, now the mine produces a light grayish blue color turquoise.