Vintage Orville Tsinnie Ring of Purple Spiny Oyster and Sterling Silver

About the Piece: Here's a vintage handmade silver and spiny oyster ring by Navajo jeweler Orville Tsinnie who lived from 1943 - 2017. 

The ring is a classic Navajo silver design where the oval purple spiny oyster stone is left to do all the talking. It's very special to have a Navajo ring that highlights a purple spiny oyster as the stone is a shell that harkens back to more ancient times when shells were used for jewelry. These days, when we see jewelry with purple stones, it's often sugilite instead.

Orville Tsinnie's ring also looks fantastic with all your turquoise.

It is a size 9.5 and the face measures 1 1/4". Signed. From the private jewelry holdings of a long-time Native American jewelry collector.

Watch this video to see Orville's ring close up and more personal.

Summary:

Item: vintage handmade silver and spiny oyster ring by Navajo jeweler Orville Tsinnie

Attribution: Orville Tsinnie, Navajo

Materials: Purple Spiny Oyster Shell and Sterling Silver

Dimensions: It is a size 9.5 and the face measures 1 1/4"

Signature: Hallmarked

Provenance: From the private jewelry holdings of a long-time Native American jewelry collector