{"product_id":"the-compass-before-the-map-by-leo-yazzie","title":"The Compass Before the Map by Leo Yazzie","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLong before you know where you’re going, you know which way you’re facing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThat’s what this pendant feels like.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt doesn’t depict an arrow. It doesn’t imitate a spear point. It doesn’t borrow from ancient symbolism.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt simply points.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEvery line converges toward a single extraordinary Bisbee turquoise cabochon, as though the entire piece was built around one inevitable destination. The negative space stretches outward like rays of light, while the textured silver beneath the stone anchors everything back to the earth. It’s architectural, almost modernist, yet unmistakably Navajo.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLeo Yazzie had an extraordinary ability to strip away everything unnecessary. His work wasn’t about decoration—it was about proportion. Every cutout, every angle, every plane of silver exists to direct your eye toward what matters most: the stone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnd what a stone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is classic Bisbee turquoise—the mine that produced some of the most coveted American turquoise ever discovered. Mined as a byproduct of copper extraction in Bisbee, Arizona, its finest material became legendary for intense electric blues paired with dramatic smoky matrix. Since the mine closed decades ago, genuine Bisbee has become one of the most sought-after turquoise varieties in the collector market.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEven better, this pendant remains with what appears to be its \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eoriginal handmade chain\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThat matters.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eToo often, great pendants lose the chain the artist intended, becoming incomplete in subtle ways. Here, the pendant and chain still speak the same language. The chain doesn’t compete with the design—it finishes it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSometimes the rarest thing isn’t the stone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt’s finding the whole story still together.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eArtifact Registry\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eArtifact:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Compass Before the Map\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMaker:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Leo Yazzie\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTribal Affiliation:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Navajo Nation\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMaterials:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Sterling silver, natural Bisbee turquoise\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eConstruction:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Hand-fabricated geometric sterling silver pendant with original handmade sterling chain\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWeight:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 58 grams\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eStone:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Natural Bisbee turquoise\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEra:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Late 20th Century\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHallmark:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e LY\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCollector’s Gallery Value:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e$4,200–5,200\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEstimated value for a comparable complete example offered through a premier Southwestern gallery specializing in master Native American jewelry.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCurator’s Field Observation\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis necklace reflects Leo Yazzie’s restrained geometric design language, where negative space becomes as important as the silver itself. The survival of the original handmade chain significantly enhances collector desirability, while the Bisbee turquoise serves as the undeniable focal point of the composition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEric’s Notes from the Field\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is exactly the kind of necklace that makes you appreciate restraint.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMost artists would have filled every inch with stampwork or overlays.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLeo didn’t.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHe trusted the geometry.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHe trusted the silver.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMost of all, he trusted the stone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThat’s confidence.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYou can wear this every day with jeans and a T-shirt, or put it under a sport coat at dinner. It doesn’t belong to an era—it belongs to good design.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hespera Jewelry Co.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47777581170865,"sku":null,"price":1750.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0153\/9641\/files\/36C3A645-F0FA-43F4-BF7C-8FED0524AD76.jpg?v=1785047500","url":"https:\/\/hespera.com\/products\/the-compass-before-the-map-by-leo-yazzie","provider":"Hespera Jewelry Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}