The Web Lights up over Southwest Silver Jewelry
(PRWEB) July 26, 2013 -- Southwest silver jewelry has long been treasured for its beauty and value, but it has never quite enjoyed mainstream popularity like it has recently.
"The desire for Southwest silver jewelry is reaching a fever pitch," says Britney Klinger, who spearheads communications for southwestsilverjewelry.com. "The increase in interest has really gone above and beyond anything we expected. The response from people who are interested in Native American jewelry is just incredible."
Native American jewelry is more than just pretty to look at, it is a deeply complex genre of art which holds deep significance to the artisans who create it. According to Klinger, who follows jewelry market trends as part of her role at southwestsilverjewelry.com, one sub-genre of jewelry which is particularity popular right now is Southwest silver jewelry. "People gravitate towards it because it's very sleek and modern, but it is not trendy or cheap."
Tracing the roots of Southwest silver jewelry is fascinating. The tribes of the Southwest United States considered jewelry to be a very important part of their culture. More than being a statement of fashion, jewelry was a signifier of tribal membership, one's role within the tribe, personal achievements, and one's familial place. Prior to the arrival of Europeans to the new world, Native Americans relied on jewelry-making materials sourced from the earth including minerals, gemstones, and twine.
After encountering the Spanish, Native Americans began implementing the use of silver into their jewelry design. Today, many tribal artisans create silver jewelry using the same techniques as their ancestors.
"The world needs to be exposed to tribal ornamentation. The more chaotic the modern world becomes, the more important it becomes to understand and appreciate the deeply profound statements which Native American jewelry speaks to us." According to Klinger, part of the reason why Native American jewelry is enjoying such a rise in popularity is precisely because of the hectic nature of modern life. Native American silver jewelry has been popping up in some unlikely places lately, including red carpet events and high-fashion magazines. "Yes, it's true, even celebrities are getting in on the trend," says Klinger. "Many people are being exposed to Native American pieces for the first time because they are seeing them on their favorite celebrity and then they are hunting down the pieces on the web. It is creating quite an exciting situation."
Those interested in discovering more about the beauty and importance of Native American jewelry, visit southwestsilverjewelry.com.
Britney Klinger, Southwest Silver Jewelry, http://southwestsilverjewelry.com/, 480-563-21984, [email protected]
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