Navajo is the biggest tribe with 200 to 300 thousand people around New Mexico and Arizona and this is where most of the jewelry comes from. When we talk about Indian jewelry, most people tend to think about feathers, teeth, bones and leather. This is a very kitsch, fashion, Hollywood oriented view that unfortunately is associated with Indians in Europe and also quite far from reality. Native Amreican jewelry, which started around the 18th century, is worked with silver and semi precious stones like turquoise, lapis lazuli, coral, onyx, and opal. There are about 20 different kinds of turquoise, amethysts and corals.
Gold is used only in modern jewelry design.