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Navajo Traditional Teachings

Opalite Turquoise Choker

Opalite Turquoise Choker

Regular price $129.99 USD
Regular price Sale price $129.99 USD
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Soft, luminous opalite brings an ethereal glow to this handcrafted Navajo choker, its translucent blue-white tones shifting gently with the light. Paired with vibrant tapered turquoise and crisp white heishi shell, the combination feels fresh, elegant, and effortlessly wearable. The cool palette creates a beautiful balance between the earthy character of natural turquoise and the delicate radiance of polished opalite.

Each tapered turquoise bead is carefully selected for its natural color and unique matrix, ensuring that no two chokers are ever exactly alike. The white heishi shell provides a clean, timeless backdrop that allows the turquoise and opalite to take center stage while adding subtle texture and contrast throughout the design. Together, these materials create a piece that is both refined and unmistakably Southwestern.

Hand strung by Navajo artist Darlene Huskie, this choker reflects generations of craftsmanship and an appreciation for the beauty found in natural materials. Every bead is thoughtfully placed by hand, resulting in a necklace that feels balanced, comfortable, and made to be treasured for years to come.

Whether paired with a simple blouse, your favorite denim jacket, or layered with longer turquoise necklaces, this choker offers a graceful touch of color that transitions beautifully from everyday wear to special occasions. Its soft glow and timeless design make it a versatile addition to any jewelry collection while honoring the artistry of authentic Navajo craftsmanship.

Because authenticity matters, every turquoise piece from Navajo Traditional Teachings includes a Certificate of Authenticity. In a marketplace filled with imported imitations and misleading claims, you can wear your jewelry with confidence, knowing exactly who created it and where it came from.

A Darlene Huskie Original

Materials: Opalite, White Heishi Shell, Tapered Turquoise, Sterling Silver

Length: 16"

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Meet The Artist

Meet Darlene... Navajo Jewelry Artist

Darlene Huskie is a Navajo jewelry artist with nearly three decades of experience creating hand-strung turquoise necklaces and traditional Diné adornment. Taught within her husband’s family, she carries forward a lineage of beadwork that blends patience, precision, and cultural memory.

Working with turquoise, sterling silver, shell, and glass beads, Darlene carefully selects and arranges each element by hand, allowing color, balance, and natural beauty to guide every design. Her pieces are not mass-produced — each necklace is individually made, reflecting the quiet skill and steady hands of an artist who has spent a lifetime perfecting her craft.

Darlene is of the Nakai Diné Clan, and her work reflects the enduring Navajo tradition of jewelry as both personal adornment and cultural expression.

Authentic Turquoise

With only 5 active turquoise mines left in the U.S.—led by the iconic Kingman Mine—much of today’s turquoise comes from past sources. Check the map… your piece may be rarer than you think.

Turquoise Map
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How We Test Turquoise

Testing is a skill. Some pieces of turquoise you can tell right when you pick them up. Others require a more scientific approach. Click here to See The 4 Ways To Test Turquoise:

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