Richard Chavez Fire Opal, Black Jade, and Turquoise 18k Gold Dangle Earrings

Richard Chavez is regarded by jewelry collectors as one of the finest lapidary artists in the American Southwest. His exquisite Native American-style pieces are painstakingly handcrafted with intricate inlays, dramatic designs and exceptional quality.

Chavez was born in 1949 in San Felipe Pueblo, New Mexico, located along the banks of the Rio Grande. In the early 1970s, he attended the University of New Mexico’s School of Architecture and worked as an architectural draftsman for Harvey S. Hoshour, who had worked for famed Bauhaus architect and designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. 

While in architectural school, Chavez supplemented his income by making jewelry. In 1976, he left his studies to pursue a full-time career as a jewelry designer, establishing the Chavez Studio.

Influenced by the Bauhaus philosophy of minimalism, balance and the sophisticated use of materials, and inspired by Hopi jeweler Charles Loloma, Chavez began crafting his jewelry using non-traditional stones such as opal, tiger’s eye, lapis lazuli, black jade, fossilized ivory and colored agate, materials he still uses today.

With his perfectionist’s eye, Chavez meticulously hand cuts each stone before it is ground into shape, polished and placed into a gold or silver setting. Chavez’s labor-intensive process results in seemingly seamless creations such as his cuff bracelets. Cocktail rings, fashion rings and other rings and bracelets are also pieced together with puzzle-like precision.

In 1976, Chavez entered his first competition at the Eight Northern Indian Pueblo Arts and Crafts Show, winning the grand prize. He went on to win multiple awards before he stopped entering competitions in 1990. 

Chavez now works with his son Jared at the Chavez Studio, creating fine gold and silver jewelry with semi-precious stones. Together, they have participated in several jewelry shows and fairs across the United States. 

In 2018, a retrospective exhibition of Chavez’s jewelry titled “Symmetry in Stone” was held at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona.

On 1stDibs, discover a range of Richard Chavez’s rings and bracelets.