Navajo Coral Nugget Belt Buckle

Navbajo Kingman turquoise and bear claw bracelet with small nugget of red coral. Stones and claw set in sterling silver surrounded by leaves, scrolls and bea...

Navajo sterling concho belt with coral nuggets, beads and rope surround. 11 conchos 2 1/2" with larger buckle 3" x 2 1/2" on black leather belt. Trunk pie...

Zuni Sleeping Beauty turquoise and dark red coral buckle. Nuggets surrounded by twisted rop border with stylized thunderbird with wings and tail feathers....

Exceptional and large Navajo sterling silver buckle by Robert Kelly with five Blue Diamond mine stones in shadow box with leaf, ball and scroll design surrounded by triple border. P...

Navajo concho belt with rectangular turquoise slabs, surrounded by small stones. Signed RS. The turquoise is from the Kingman Mine in Arizona. Marked ster...

Signed LMB. Marked sterling; 11 conchos total. PERIOD: After 1950 ORIGIN: Navajo, Southwest SIZE: Total Belt Length 62 1/2" Leather; conchos 2 1/4"D The word “concho” sometimes spelled “concha”, comes from the Spanish word meaning shell. Some of the first “conchos” were made of melted silver dollars and resembled a shell. Concho belts reportedly began appearing in Navajo country in the late 1860s. Other Native Americans including Zuni and Hopi also made traditional concho belts before long. Concho belts can cost into the thousands of dollars depending upon the craftsmanship, amount of silver, rarity of turquoise and stones used. Belts in the upper end of the price scales are usually made before the turn of the century. Buyers should deal with reputable dealers as many fakes and look-a-likes exist. A well-made belt with age to it will fetch a bigger premium and hold its value better. The earliest concho belts are now referred to as “First Phase” belts. This style of belt was made before Native silversmith had learned much about soldering. The conchos were hammered out from melted coins, cut, and filed into shape, engraved and a diamond shape slot was cut out of the middle of the concho, with a bar left across the center of the diamond shaped slot for the leather loop. Conchos that required no soldering are generally thought to be made from 1860-1880. Second phase conchos were done 1890-1900s in which silversmith began to solder. Third phase conchos is when you start to see the “butterfly” or “bow” appear between conchos and the use of turquoise as an adornment. A butterfly (bow) is a smaller concho in between bigger conchos. A belt with butterflies and sometimes turquoise would be from the early 1900s – 1930s. The timelines may slightly differentiate depending upon who you ask. Natives first had concho belts for personal use only, but around the turn of the last century, tourist demand had kicked in and a new outlet emerged. belts & buckles jewelry silver belts conchos navajo needlepoint southwest turquoise...

Beautifully made, one of a kind, brass and red enameled belt buckle. It could be used as a large necklace pendant as well.

Stunning one of a kind brass buckle enameled in a raspberry pink tone.

A Museum Quality silver-gilt belt buckle with enamel decoration, and teardrop shaped coral and dating to circa 1830, from Saframpolis (Safranbolu...

This antique 19th century filigree belt buckle is made of 10 karat yellow gold. The rectangular-shaped buckle is embellished with filigree knots a...

Large Hand set Turquoise stones surrounding a intricate Zuni Warrior set in sterling silver. Measures 3.00 inches w x 2.50in. Hallmarked LBJ on the back side of the buckle. Coral, Tu...

A blackened steel and 18 karat (18K) yellow gold Damascene belt buckle designed as a rectangle with inlaid gold designs of angels and geometric lines in...