Contemporary Santo Domingo (Kewa) Jet, Coral, and Shell Earrings by Joe Calabaza

Description Traditional handmade Native American Indian Jewelry from Indigenous Pueblos of the Southwest. Guaranteed authentic. Excellent condition. Invite a bold, high-contrast look into your jewelry collection with these meticulously handcrafted mosaic inlay earrings by renowned Kewa artisan Joe Calabaza. This pair features a dramatic rectangular drop composed of deep, midnight-black jet, which serves as a stunning backdrop for vibrant accents of fiery red coral and a central sliver of creamy shell. Every element is hand-cut and precisely fit into a seamless mosaic before being polished to a sleek, glass-like luster. These drops are finished with high-quality sterling silver French hooks, offering a sophisticated, geometric profile that is remarkably lightweight and comfortable for all-day wear. The Santo Domingo Pueblo (Kewa) is legendary for its mastery of “lithic” or stone-on-stone inlay, a tradition that predates metalwork in the American Southwest. Joe Calabaza is a master of this ancient craft, specializing in the precision grinding required to make multiple natural materials feel like one continuous, smooth surface. By utilizing jet—a fossilized coal prized for its weightlessness and intense black color—alongside traditional coral and shell, he honors the ancestral trade routes that first brought these materials to the Rio Grande Pueblos. These earrings are more than a simple accessory; they are a testament to the enduring technical skill and artistic vision of the Kewa people.