They were entirely hand-made from ingot coin silver. Concha belts are another distinctive early Navajo ornament. These simple circular disks with lozenge-shaped cutout centers had minimal decoration. They were threaded on leather straps. They can date back to the early period.
Later conchas are oval with more stamped decoration and perhaps turquoise.
The Zuni and Hopi silversmiths also made concha belts. Brooches date from the 1930 and bola ties and slides, invented by Vic Cedarstaff, from about 1950. World War II was a turning point in Native American jewelry making. For the first time, Indians were drafted into the armed forces and many were sent overseas where they were exposed to many different cultures. When they returned home they had a broader perspective of the world and a different source for money.