Sonoran Gold Shield Ring

Traditional Southwest jewelry handmade by Silversmith Chad Barela

Sold Out Held in a private collection

Taken with this one? A piece in its spirit can still be made for you.

A hand-wrought sterling silver shield ring set with an oval Sonoran Gold turquoise stone, its soft green face touched with golden matrix, set in a smooth straight bezel. The stone sits within a bold square shield face, flanked on each side by deeply impressed crescent stamps and accented with dot details at each corner, all framed by a rope-stamped border along the top and bottom edge. The three-prong split shank fans out from beneath the shield in open parallel bands, each dotted with deep stamp impressions that carry the same sturdy, deliberate hand as the face. Finished with a dark oxidized patina that settles into every recess and gives the piece its weight and character.

Hand-wroughtMatte finish

Date Made

2023

Stone

Sonoran Gold Turquoise

Metal

Sterling silver

Size

N/A

Stone

Sonoran Gold

Mine

Campitos Mountain

Origin

Cananea, Sonora, Mexico

Mine Status

Active

Stone Story

Sonoran Gold is one of the newer stones to enter the turquoise market, first surfacing around 2019 as a byproduct of copper mining at Campitos Mountain near Cananea in northern Sonora, Mexico. Unlike most turquoise, which forms in veins within host rock, Sonoran Gold occurs as clay-coated nuggets — a geological distinction that gives each stone its own character. The color palette is what sets it apart. A single stone can shift from aqua blue to lime green to bright green, blending across the surface like watercolor. A golden to brown spiderweb matrix runs through it, framing those vivid hues and adding depth. It's expressive material.

Second generation silversmith making heirloom quality jewelry true to Southwest tradition for over a decade. Chad's family has more than 200 years of history in New Mexico and you can see that heritage in his work.

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