Born in 1955, Delbert Gordon is a self-taught silversmith who grew up in Tohatchi, New Mexico. He specializes in Traditional Revival designs and always works with fine, natural turquoise. He was instrumental in the silversmithing training of his nephew Derrick Gordon, whose pieces also appear on this website.

This is the largest pendant we've ever offered. The stone literally amounts to a slab of thick, multi-colored rock which clearly shows the importance of water in depositing turquoise. We've shown you Pilot Mountain saw rock in the past and this is more of it. While not so rare as the high-blue saw rock which we've become known for, this stone is also deposited in layers which are sandwiched between strata of host rock. To mine this turquoise, layers of rock are slabbed from the mountain and taken to a lapidary workshop where the host rock is ground down until the turquoise is revealed in all its colorful glory. Because this stone is deposited in layers, the cuts yielded from the process tend to exhibit flat surfaces or surfaces characterized by soft undulation. Small hairlines mark the surface of this stone, but these are not hairline cracks, but rather wispy, thin lines of mineralization. The stone is firmly set in a notched bezel edged by coiled Sterling wire. The weight of the stone is well over 250 carats and this is a weighty pendant which calls for being matched with Erma Arviso's largest 12 mm. diameter beads. Alternately, a strand of turquoise nuggets could be threaded through the over-sized bale, but the weight of the pendant would demand that the nugget strand be strung on wire to hold the weight of the pendant. Furthermore, the weight of this pendant dictates that it not be worn on a long set of beads or strand of turquoise; this should ride high so that it hugs the sternum and cannot swing.

***NOTE ABOUT STERLING BEADS**: The beads pictured in the photographs above are sold separately. The length of the beads you choose will, of course, be a question of personal style. but the weight of this pendant suggests pairing it with a strand of beads of 16", 18" or 20". See Erma Arviso's antiqued Sterling beads.

Hallmarked with a large capital "D" with a spur extending from it and "Gordon" in smaller letters beneath surrounded by a trailing banner. Also stamped "Sterling" on back.

Stone: 3 1/8" x 2 1/4"

Dimensions of pendant (excluding jump ring & bale): 3 7/8" x 2 7/8"

Bale: 3/4" diameter opening

Weight of pendant: 7.5 ounces

Total hang: 5 1/4"