Richard Chavez

On 1stDibs, you can find the most appropriate richard chavez for your needs in our varied inventory. Frequently made of 14k Gold, Gold and Yellow Gold, this item was constructed with great care. You can easily find a 20 antique edition and 4 modern creations to choose from as well. If you’re looking for a richard chavez from a specific time period, our collection is diverse and broad-ranging, and you’ll find at least one that dates back to the 20th Century while another version may have been produced as recently as the 21st Century. While most can agree that any richard chavez from our collection can easily elevate most outfits, but the choice of a Coral version from the 17 available is guaranteed to add a special touch to your ensemble. Today, if you’re looking for a cabochon version of this piece and are unable to find the perfect match, our selection also includes mixed cut alternatives. If you’re browsing our inventory for a richard chavez, you’ll find that many are available today for women, but there are still pieces to choose from for unisex and men.

Prices for a richard chavez can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, these accessories begin at $2,600 and can go as high as $13,500, while this accessory, on average, fetches $5,750.

Richard Chavez is regarded by jewelry collectors as one of the finest lapidary artists in the American Southwest. His exquisite Native American-style pieces are painstakingly handcrafted with intricate inlays, dramatic designs and exceptional quality.

Chavez was born in 1949 in San Felipe Pueblo, New Mexico, located along the banks of the Rio Grande. In the early 1970s, he attended the University of New Mexico’s School of Architecture and worked as an architectural draftsman for Harvey S. Hoshour, who had worked for famed Bauhaus architect and designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. 

While in architectural school, Chavez supplemented his income by making jewelry. In 1976, he left his studies to pursue a full-time career as a jewelry designer, establishing the Chavez Studio.

Influenced by the Bauhaus philosophy of minimalism, balance and the sophisticated use of materials, and inspired by Hopi jeweler Charles Loloma, Chavez began crafting his jewelry using non-traditional stones such as opal, tiger’s eye, lapis lazuli, black jade, fossilized ivory and colored agate, materials he still uses today.

With his perfectionist’s eye, Chavez meticulously hand cuts each stone before it is ground into shape, polished and placed into a gold or silver setting. Chavez’s labor-intensive process results in seemingly seamless creations such as his cuff bracelets. Cocktail rings, fashion rings and other rings and bracelets are also pieced together with puzzle-like precision.

In 1976, Chavez entered his first competition at the Eight Northern Indian Pueblo Arts and Crafts Show, winning the grand prize. He went on to win multiple awards before he stopped entering competitions in 1990. 

Chavez now works with his son Jared at the Chavez Studio, creating fine gold and silver jewelry with semi-precious stones. Together, they have participated in several jewelry shows and fairs across the United States. 

In 2018, a retrospective exhibition of Chavez’s jewelry titled “Symmetry in Stone” was held at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona.

On 1stDibs, discover a range of Richard Chavez’s rings and bracelets.