Chimney Butte White Buffalo Pendant, Open Frame, Navajo Sterling Silver
A White Buffalo teardrop in a twisted rope bezel, floating at the centre of an open silver frame with a ball at each corner.
Specifications
- Metal: Sterling silver
- Artist: Chimney Butte, Navajo (Dine)
- Made: 2026
- Stone: White Buffalo, cabochon
- Length with bail: 3 inches (7.6 cm)
- Pendant drop: 2.25 inches (5.7 cm)
- Width at the widest point: 38 mm (1.5 inches)
- Weight: 45 grams
- Stone size: Approximately 24.5 mm long
- Bail opening: 15 mm
Hallmarks
- Sterling
- Chimney Butte
Both marks are struck on the back. Chimney Butte is the maker's mark; Sterling is the silver standard.
About the Piece
The frame is the interesting part. A rectangle of heavy silver with the middle cut away and shaped into curved openings, so the pendant reads as much through the gaps as through the metal, and whatever you wear it against shows through. A silver ball sits at each corner.
At the centre a teardrop White Buffalo cabochon, about 24.5 mm long, is set in a plain bezel wrapped in twisted silver rope. White with black chert running through it, which against a shirt or denim reads as pure graphic contrast.
The bail is wide and flat and takes a heavy chain. This is a buckle style pendant, which means it hangs flat rather than swinging.
White Buffalo is a white stone with black chert matrix, mined in Nevada. It is not turquoise, despite the trade often calling it white turquoise.
Chimney Butte is a Navajo (Dine) silversmith working out of New Mexico in a deliberately old style idiom: heavy gauge sterling, deep hand stamping, repousse, sandcast work, and good named mine turquoise. The mark is one of the most recognisable in contemporary Southwestern silver, which is part of why the work holds its value. This piece is stamped Sterling and Chimney Butte on the back.
Styling
The bail is wide and flat, made for a heavy chain rather than a fine one. It will sit well on Navajo pearls, a thick box chain or a leather cord. Worn alone it does all the work and does not need layering.
Condition
Excellent. Newly made and unworn, with the deep oxidised finish the maker applies to the stamped recesses.
Please review all photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the description.
This listing is for the pendant only. Chains shown in photographs are for styling purposes and are not included.
If you like what you see, please follow along at @sterlingstyleshop on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sterlingstyleshop/
As always, if you have any questions or would like additional photos or video, please message me.