FEDERICO’S RETAIL PRICE: $1500 (SEE LAST 2 PHOTOS)

THE RAINBOW MAN FIGURE:

The Rainbow Man was one of the earliest and most iconic figures used in traditional Zuni mosaic inlay jewelry. Starting from the 1920s through the 1940s, various talented Zuni Native artists began creating mosaic inlay jewelry featuring the Rainbow Man, and by the 1950s, this imagery had become widely popular and recognized. His presence is deeply woven into Zuni traditions, cultural identity, and social practices, making the Rainbow Man not only a visually striking element but also a profound symbol associated with the “rainbow” shape that conveys life, protection, and spiritual significance.

THE EARRINGS:

Federico has always been truly blessed to work with some of the most incredible lapidarians—talented artisans whom anyone would consider fortunate to have close at hand. When you carefully observe this intricate and time-consuming mosaic inlay technique, it becomes abundantly clear that these artists know exactly what they are doing. Their skill and mastery shine through in these earrings, especially in this type of meticulous work where the 'attention to detail' must be at its absolute highest level. If you’ve ever tried your hand at this kind of workmanship, you would immediately recognize just how exceptional the workmanship in these earrings really is!

These stunning earrings are created by combining two distinct and demanding art forms: the mosaic inlay work itself and the art of lapidary, or stone cutting. Both disciplines require an immense amount of time, patience, and precision, and I have great respect for anyone who can carry out these tasks properly and with such precision! Every single tiny piece of shell and stone is carefully hand-cut and meticulously shaped, demonstrating not only technical know-how and patience, but also impressive skill—especially when working with these minuscule cuts. (It’s important to note that the smaller the cuts, the more time is required, and there is absolutely no room for error!)

These earrings feature a mosaic flush inlay crafted from pieces of natural turquoise, a soft melon/salmon color & orange spiny oyster shell, white Mother of Pearl, and deep black onyx. Each section of the figure is individually set into its own bezel, but if you look closely at the photos, you’ll notice that the face, upper body, and skirt employ a unique 'embedded' flush inlay technique. This means they are created as one seamless piece with all the tiny cuts perfectly integrated into the section that then sits within its bezel. Meanwhile, the arms, ceremonial Tablita headdress, legs, and feet showcase a different approach known as "channel" mosaic inlay, highlighting the versatility and extraordinary workmanship involved in these incredible earrings.

**You are not paying for the weight, nor the amount of materials, but rather the time it took for these to be made **

*******************

ARTIST: Federico Jimenez

MATERIAL: Natural Turquoise-Melon/Salmon and Orange Spiny Oyster-Mother of Pearl-Black Onyx

MEASUREMENTS: 1.75” X 1” (Width is taken at the arm area of the earring-Measurements are approximate, because of the curvature of the design)

COMBINED WEIGHT: 18.7 Grams

METAL: Sterling Silver

METAL FINISH: Contemporary

TECHNIQUE: Excellent Lapidarian Work-Mosaic Inlay

HALLMARK: Sterling JF

Comes Gift Boxed

**********************

SIGNATURE REQUIREMENT:
Because of their price, these will have a mandatory signature confirmation requirement. (Reflected in shipping price) If you're not home in the day & need them shipped where they can be signed for,please change that in your "Ship To" section before I create the shipping label***I'm sorry if this may be an inconvenience, but I do not ship expensive pieces without one. This is for your safety & mine.

**********************

PLEASE NOTE:
In order to give you close up photos so I can provide you with all the detail, photos can tend to make the item look much more larger & everything is more magnified than in actuality. So to get an accurate idea of how big these are,please either check them out being worn to get a rough idea (photos) or you can pull out a tape measure & compare to my given measurements

I do not consider myself a 'professional photographer" but I do try to give you photos that are 'realistic" in color. Monitor screens play a role in how vibrant (or less vibrant) something appears, so each may vary in color, so please take this into consideration when shopping.