Discover the rich and vibrant beauty of the Turquoise Spiny Oyster Sterling Silver Wheel Pendant. This piece showcases the allure of a turquoise spiny oyster stone in a wheel-shaped sterling silver setting. Reflecting a unique fusion of land and sea, each stone is unique in textures and colors making yours one of a kind.
- Sterling silver pendant featuring turquoise and spiny oyster stones
- The pendant measures approximately 1.2" in diameter(plus bail)
- Approximately 0.75" diameter oval stone, notable for its vivid colors and unique origin
- Each stone is unique and will vary in colors, patterns, and textures
- Turquoise Spiny Oyster is a unique fusion of turquoise from Arizona and spiny oyster shell from Baja California Peninsula
- The stone symbolizes the harmonious coalescence of land and sea elements
- Sold as a pendant, chain sold separately
Each piece is meticulously crafted by skilled artisans, resulting in variations and unique characteristics that are inherent to the artistry of this traditional craft. Your jewelry will display differences in texture, color tones, or patterns compared to the images displayed. These distinctions are a testament to the authenticity and individuality of your jewelry piece, making it a truly one-of-a-kind work of art.
design: A round wheel-shaped pendant with a turquoise and spiny oyster composite stone bezel-set at the center, framed by a rope-twist silver border and six silver ball-tipped spokes radiating outward like a wheel rim, hung from a plain trapezoid bail.
size: Pendant measures approximately 1.2" in diameter (plus bail); center stone approximately 0.75" across. Chain sold separately.
material: Sterling silver setting with a turquoise and spiny oyster composite stone (Arizona turquoise fused with spiny oyster shell from the Baja California Peninsula).
features: Wagon-wheel silhouette with radiating ball-tipped spokes, rope-twist bezel trim, one-of-a-kind stone patterning, oxidized silver for contrast, sold pendant-only
care: Wipe with a soft, dry cloth after wear and store away from moisture and direct sunlight to keep the silver and stone looking their best.
disclaimer: Because the turquoise and spiny oyster stone is cut from natural material, the color map, veining, and proportions of each pendant will vary slightly from the piece shown.
The Story
Turquoise paired with spiny oyster shell is a signature combination in Southwestern-style silver jewelry, prized for how the two materials' colors and veining play off one another. Here, turquoise mined in Arizona is set alongside spiny oyster shell sourced from the Baja California Peninsula, so each slab carries its own mix of blue-green stone against warm orange-to-white shell.
The pendant's wheel form, its silver ball-tipped spokes and rope-twist trim, follows a bezel style long associated with Southwestern turquoise settings, where a decorative wire border and metalwork detail frame the stone rather than compete with it. The radiating spokes give the piece its wheel-like structure and a bit of dimension beyond a flat bezel.
Because the stone is cut from natural material rather than manufactured to a uniform pattern, no two pendants read quite the same way, which is part of what collectors of this style look for.
A piece like this starts with a silversmith shaping a bezel cup from a strip of sterling silver and soldering a rope-twist wire around its edge for the decorative border. The turquoise and spiny oyster material is cut and matrixed into a single slab, then shaped into a cabochon and polished before it's set into the bezel. The silversmith solders on the ball-tipped spokes and bail by hand, then oxidizes the silver and polishes the raised surfaces to bring out the contrast between the dark recesses and bright metal.
Craft & Materials
- Ideal For: Someone who wants a bold, one-of-a-kind turquoise statement pendant
- Wear It With: Hang on a sterling silver chain and pair with other textured silver pieces for an easy layered look
- Purpose: Everyday wear, statement necklace, gift
- Gemstone: Turquoise, Spiny Oyster shell
- Metal: Sterling Silver
Turquoise has long been one of the most prized stones in Southwestern silver jewelry, valued for its range of blue-to-green color and the dark matrix veining running through it. Spiny oyster shell, harvested along the Baja California Peninsula and the Sea of Cortez, is prized in the same tradition for its vivid orange, red, and purple hues and is often worked alongside turquoise as a colorful complement to it.
Questions & Answers
Is every pendant really one of a kind?
Yes. Because the turquoise and spiny oyster stone is cut from natural material, the color pattern and shell-to-stone ratio are unique to each pendant, so yours won't match the exact piece pictured.
What exactly is turquoise spiny oyster?
It's a composite stone made from Arizona turquoise fused with spiny oyster shell from the Baja California Peninsula, combining the blue-green tones of turquoise with the warm orange and white of the shell.
Does this pendant come with a chain?
No, it's sold as the pendant only; chain sold separately.
How should I care for this piece?
Wipe it with a soft, dry cloth after wearing and store it away from moisture, lotions, and direct sunlight to protect both the silver and the stone.
How big is the pendant?
It measures approximately 1.2" in diameter including the bail, with a center stone about 0.75" across.
