Some thunderbirds are symbols.
This one feels like it just landed.
Richard Yazza has a gift for giving motion to silver, and this pendant is one of the strongest examples I’ve handled. At nearly 4 inches across and 4 inches tall, it doesn’t just depict a Thunderbird—it commands the space around it. Every feather has been deeply carved and sculpted, creating layers that catch the light differently as the piece moves. The wings feel alive.
Then there’s the turquoise.
The large center cabochon of natural Kingman turquoise anchors the entire composition, while eleven smaller stones flow through the wings and head like flashes of blue sky woven into the feathers. It’s restrained enough to let the silverwork shine, but bold enough that your eye never leaves it.
This is why Richard Yazza’s work has become so collectible. His pieces are unmistakably Navajo, but they also carry a sculptural quality that separates them from production jewelry. Nothing here is accidental—the carving, the symmetry, the negative space, even the proportion of the bail to the body of the bird has been considered.
Large statement pendants by Richard Yazza have become increasingly desirable among collectors because they’re wearable sculpture. Add the exceptional scale, heavy 86-gram construction, high-grade Kingman turquoise, and museum-level craftsmanship, and you have the kind of piece that doesn’t stay available for very long.
Some jewelry finishes an outfit.
This changes the room.
Artifact Registry
Artifact Name: Sky Herald
Maker: Richard Yazza
Tribe/Origin: Navajo
Materials: Sterling Silver, natural Kingman Turquoise
Dimensions: Approximately 4” wide × 4” tall
Weight: 86 grams
Era: Contemporary
Collector’s Gallery Value: $2,800–3,500
Estimated value for an equivalent work offered through a premier gallery or specialist Native American art dealer.
Field Observation:
An exceptional large-format Thunderbird pendant featuring deeply sculpted feather work, multiple accent cabochons, and a substantial Kingman centerpiece. Richard Yazza has become well known for his bold Thunderbird compositions, with comparable large signed pendants often offered in the $775–1,300 retail range for smaller examples, while exceptional oversized works command significantly stronger prices because of their scale, craftsmanship, and collector appeal.
Eric’s Notes from the Field
I’ve always loved Thunderbirds because they somehow manage to be ancient and modern at the same time.
A hundred artists can make one.
Very few can make one that feels like it’s about to leave your hand.
That’s the difference here. The feathers aren’t decoration—they’re movement. The turquoise isn’t just a stone—it’s the sky the bird belongs to.
This is one of those pieces you wear when you want people to stop mid-sentence.
Kingman Turquoise
Sky Herald by Richard Yazza
Sterling Silver
Native-Made & Handcrafted with Care
Have a burning question? Please feel free to contact us
Some thunderbirds are symbols.
This one feels like it just landed.
Richard Yazza has a gift for giving motion to silver, and this pendant is one of the strongest examples I’ve handled. At nearly 4 inches across and 4 inches tall, it doesn’t just depict a Thunderbird—it commands the space around it. Every feather has been deeply carved and sculpted, creating layers that catch the light differently as the piece moves. The wings feel alive.
Then there’s the turquoise.
The large center cabochon of natural Kingman turquoise anchors the entire composition, while eleven smaller stones flow through the wings and head like flashes of blue sky woven into the feathers. It’s restrained enough to let the silverwork shine, but bold enough that your eye never leaves it.
This is why Richard Yazza’s work has become so collectible. His pieces are unmistakably Navajo, but they also carry a sculptural quality that separates them from production jewelry. Nothing here is accidental—the carving, the symmetry, the negative space, even the proportion of the bail to the body of the bird has been considered.
Large statement pendants by Richard Yazza have become increasingly desirable among collectors because they’re wearable sculpture. Add the exceptional scale, heavy 86-gram construction, high-grade Kingman turquoise, and museum-level craftsmanship, and you have the kind of piece that doesn’t stay available for very long.
Some jewelry finishes an outfit.
This changes the room.
Artifact Registry
Artifact Name: Sky Herald
Maker: Richard Yazza
Tribe/Origin: Navajo
Materials: Sterling Silver, natural Kingman Turquoise
Dimensions: Approximately 4” wide × 4” tall
Weight: 86 grams
Era: Contemporary
Collector’s Gallery Value: $2,800–3,500
Estimated value for an equivalent work offered through a premier gallery or specialist Native American art dealer.
Field Observation:
An exceptional large-format Thunderbird pendant featuring deeply sculpted feather work, multiple accent cabochons, and a substantial Kingman centerpiece. Richard Yazza has become well known for his bold Thunderbird compositions, with comparable large signed pendants often offered in the $775–1,300 retail range for smaller examples, while exceptional oversized works command significantly stronger prices because of their scale, craftsmanship, and collector appeal.
Eric’s Notes from the Field
I’ve always loved Thunderbirds because they somehow manage to be ancient and modern at the same time.
A hundred artists can make one.
Very few can make one that feels like it’s about to leave your hand.
That’s the difference here. The feathers aren’t decoration—they’re movement. The turquoise isn’t just a stone—it’s the sky the bird belongs to.
This is one of those pieces you wear when you want people to stop mid-sentence.
Kingman Turquoise
