Long before you know where you’re going, you know which way you’re facing.
That’s what this pendant feels like.
It doesn’t depict an arrow. It doesn’t imitate a spear point. It doesn’t borrow from ancient symbolism.
It simply points.
Every line converges toward a single extraordinary Bisbee turquoise cabochon, as though the entire piece was built around one inevitable destination. The negative space stretches outward like rays of light, while the textured silver beneath the stone anchors everything back to the earth. It’s architectural, almost modernist, yet unmistakably Navajo.
Leo Yazzie had an extraordinary ability to strip away everything unnecessary. His work wasn’t about decoration—it was about proportion. Every cutout, every angle, every plane of silver exists to direct your eye toward what matters most: the stone.
And what a stone.
This is classic Bisbee turquoise—the mine that produced some of the most coveted American turquoise ever discovered. Mined as a byproduct of copper extraction in Bisbee, Arizona, its finest material became legendary for intense electric blues paired with dramatic smoky matrix. Since the mine closed decades ago, genuine Bisbee has become one of the most sought-after turquoise varieties in the collector market.
Even better, this pendant remains with what appears to be its original handmade chain.
That matters.
Too often, great pendants lose the chain the artist intended, becoming incomplete in subtle ways. Here, the pendant and chain still speak the same language. The chain doesn’t compete with the design—it finishes it.
Sometimes the rarest thing isn’t the stone.
It’s finding the whole story still together.
Artifact Registry
Artifact: The Compass Before the Map
Maker: Leo Yazzie
Tribal Affiliation: Navajo Nation
Materials: Sterling silver, natural Bisbee turquoise
Construction: Hand-fabricated geometric sterling silver pendant with original handmade sterling chain
Weight: 58 grams
Stone: Natural Bisbee turquoise
Era: Late 20th Century
Hallmark: LY
Collector’s Gallery Value: $4,200–5,200
Estimated value for a comparable complete example offered through a premier Southwestern gallery specializing in master Native American jewelry.
Curator’s Field Observation
This necklace reflects Leo Yazzie’s restrained geometric design language, where negative space becomes as important as the silver itself. The survival of the original handmade chain significantly enhances collector desirability, while the Bisbee turquoise serves as the undeniable focal point of the composition.
Eric’s Notes from the Field
This is exactly the kind of necklace that makes you appreciate restraint.
Most artists would have filled every inch with stampwork or overlays.
Leo didn’t.
He trusted the geometry.
He trusted the silver.
Most of all, he trusted the stone.
That’s confidence.
You can wear this every day with jeans and a T-shirt, or put it under a sport coat at dinner. It doesn’t belong to an era—it belongs to good design.
Long before you know where you’re going, you know which way you’re facing.
That’s what this pendant feels like.
It doesn’t depict an arrow. It doesn’t imitate a spear point. It doesn’t borrow from ancient symbolism.
It simply points.
Every line converges toward a single extraordinary Bisbee turquoise cabochon, as though the entire piece was built around one inevitable destination. The negative space stretches outward like rays of light, while the textured silver beneath the stone anchors everything back to the earth. It’s architectural, almost modernist, yet unmistakably Navajo.
Leo Yazzie had an extraordinary ability to strip away everything unnecessary. His work wasn’t about decoration—it was about proportion. Every cutout, every angle, every plane of silver exists to direct your eye toward what matters most: the stone.
And what a stone.
This is classic Bisbee turquoise—the mine that produced some of the most coveted American turquoise ever discovered. Mined as a byproduct of copper extraction in Bisbee, Arizona, its finest material became legendary for intense electric blues paired with dramatic smoky matrix. Since the mine closed decades ago, genuine Bisbee has become one of the most sought-after turquoise varieties in the collector market.
Even better, this pendant remains with what appears to be its original handmade chain.
That matters.
Too often, great pendants lose the chain the artist intended, becoming incomplete in subtle ways. Here, the pendant and chain still speak the same language. The chain doesn’t compete with the design—it finishes it.
Sometimes the rarest thing isn’t the stone.
It’s finding the whole story still together.
Artifact Registry
Artifact: The Compass Before the Map
Maker: Leo Yazzie
Tribal Affiliation: Navajo Nation
Materials: Sterling silver, natural Bisbee turquoise
Construction: Hand-fabricated geometric sterling silver pendant with original handmade sterling chain
Weight: 58 grams
Stone: Natural Bisbee turquoise
Era: Late 20th Century
Hallmark: LY
Collector’s Gallery Value: $4,200–5,200
Estimated value for a comparable complete example offered through a premier Southwestern gallery specializing in master Native American jewelry.
Curator’s Field Observation
This necklace reflects Leo Yazzie’s restrained geometric design language, where negative space becomes as important as the silver itself. The survival of the original handmade chain significantly enhances collector desirability, while the Bisbee turquoise serves as the undeniable focal point of the composition.
Eric’s Notes from the Field
This is exactly the kind of necklace that makes you appreciate restraint.
Most artists would have filled every inch with stampwork or overlays.
Leo didn’t.
He trusted the geometry.
He trusted the silver.
Most of all, he trusted the stone.
That’s confidence.
You can wear this every day with jeans and a T-shirt, or put it under a sport coat at dinner. It doesn’t belong to an era—it belongs to good design.
