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Lee Yazzie\'s shadowbox sunburst or radiating line buckles are among the most revered designs in modern Native American art history. The structure you see here relies on an incredibly challenging technique. Rather than using a simple overlay, Yazzie meticulously files and channels heavy-gauge sterling silver by hand to form perfectly symmetrical, deep radiating channels. This creates a high-contrast shadowbox effect that draws the eye directly into the centerpiece… the gem grade, magnificent turquoise cabochon likely from the Nevada Blue Mine Number 8.
The Stone: The Nevada Blue mine, active primarily in the 1970s, is renowned for producing hard, gem-grade turquoise with a rich, pure sky-blue coloration and a striking dark brown to black spiderweb matrix. Lee Yazzie is famous for working exclusively with the absolute finest natural American turquoise available, often collaborating with traders like Joe Tanner to source legendary stones from closed or limited Nevada mines.
The Design: The clean, meticulously saw-cut sterling silver radiating lines forming a bold shadowbox frame around the stone are a signature element of the Yazzie family\'s elite lapidary and metalwork style.
The Bezel: Notice how the thick sterling silver bezel hugs every intricate curve of the cabochon perfectly. For a stone of this massive scale, keeping the metal work completely flawless without distracting from the natural geometry of the turquoise is a testament to his status as the premier lapidary artist.
Lee Yazzie strictly prioritizes quality over quantity—traditionally producing fewer than 10 individual pieces per year-this combination of master craftsmanship and rare Nevada Blue turquoise makes this an incredibly significant museum-quality heirloom. Because Lee Yazzie spent his career dedicating weeks, and sometimes months, to single masterwork commissions, his belt buckles are rare heirlooms that command thousands of dollars at major Native American art institutions and premier sale settings. A Nevada Blue buckle of this scale and clarity stands as a pinnacle achievement of 20th-century Navajo silversmithing, a piece most often seen in museums or elite collections.
This is a RARE OPPORTUNITY to own a masterpiece belt buckle handmade by the renowned ‘LEE YAZZIE’ . TY for looking. Please see my other highly collectible pieces of Native American Jewelry by renowned artists, like Alice Quam, Orville Tsinnie, Horace Iule, etc…
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