THE ARTIST:

Raised on the Rez in Arizona & coming from both Navajo & Hopi ancestry, award winner Curtis Pete found his calling back at the young age of 27 after being influenced & learning from his uncle Robert Yellowhorse. ( I believe he's in his late 50's if not in his 60's now?)

Staying traditional when it came to the styles he started out creating, his techniques blossomed to where he ended up working not only in sterling, but gold as well. Earning awards at the "Gallup Ceremonial" show, where he won a blue ribbon award for his buckle & then the 2nd time entering,he took home 1st place for a necklace he tastefully created. That same year he took his art to Aspen,Co. where again,took home another 1st place award for a necklace/pendant set.

Curtis is what I consider a "TRUE" artist, where he has a style all his own & because of his own unique creative individuality, he doesn't have to follow what others are doing, which personally I believe, you can't be a good designer & have your own identity if you're copying what others are doing!!

Literally EVERYTHING he makes will always have a 'upscale quality' look ,whether it's his traditional looking pieces OR his traditional pieces that are made with a contemporary aesthetic..(which the latter, are simply STUNNING!) Curtis's jewelry takes "Time" & can't be whipped out in a matter of an hour or 2.Everythingwill be made by hand & made extremely well!

Whether you're one whose just started collecting Southwestern jewelry or have been collecting for years,one thing that will stand out is for the fact that you'll always be able to tell just by looking at the piece,that someone whose been at it a long time & takes pride in their work,made it. Curtis chooses to work with only the finest gem quality' stones & is highly collectible.
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UNISEX!
THE RING:
Made for either man or woman,this is one of Curtis's more traditional Navajo pieces. Compared to some SW pieces that can be more ornate in design,this ring has a more understated simplistic, but upscale look.

Placed atop of a heavy gauge 2 mm thick rectangular faceplate where he hand picked the most GORGEOUS color of Mediterranean coral that has primo quality & is a sight for the eyes! The oval cut has a mirror finishing that only to validates that this particular cut has a superior quality. The coral sits low in Curtis's hand made castellated bezel, one of the trademarks of Curtis's work.

Looking like "Sun Ray's", the faceplate has been hand chiseled, with oxidation in all the crevices that only enhances the metal's beauty & emphasizes the design..
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THE SHANK:
Made of one solid strip of sterling,the shank is 'a piece of art' in itself! Thinner on the very center 's underside that then gradually gets wider & then turns into a 4 split shank to accommodate the width of the face.

The weight is nice & hefty & for you men that may consider this,it has a good weight that feels masculine!
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***FYI***:
Anyone in this business knows how much the price of Coral has climbed to & has gotten so ridiculously expensive, which makes it unaffordable for many artists to even consider buying. Coral is now on the "Rare" list & no longer can it be fished,nor brought in the USA. (These reasons are reflected in the price) Everyday the price goes up & like real estate, it will never be the price tomorrow, as it is today.