Process and Passion Inspire Superior Quality
By: Natalie Frazier
At Dakota Sky Stone, the jewelry-making process is more than just a craft—it’s a journey fueled by passion and driven by dedicated individuals that truly love what they do.
The process may be long, but the personal nature allows the family behind Dakota Sky Stone to insure it has been done right every single time. This commitment to overseeing each phase—from sourcing to final creation—ensures that every piece of Dakota Sky Stone jewelry is a testament to superior quality and artisanal integrity.
It starts with travel to the mines
Contrary to popular belief there is not just one type of turquoise stone. In fact, there are more than 30 different varieties with characteristics all their own to make turquoise jewelry attractive to a wide array of tastes and styles.
But, before the making of a piece begins for Dakota Sky Stone, the Tice family travels to different turquoise mines to hand pick stones for their pieces. According to Annie Tice-Poseley, the type of stone and its distinct characteristics are unique to whatever mine the stones are coming from and its geographical location.
“More of your Arizona mines carry more copper, so Arizona turquoise tends to be more blue in color, and Nevada turquoise carries more iron which adds more green shades into your turquoise,” Annie explains.
Specific grades of turquoise do not exist in the manner they do for other stones like diamonds. Typically, they look for stones that speak to them with beauty, matrix designs, and specific colors. Traveling to mines and finding stones has become an outlet for long lasting, cherished memories for the Tice family.
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The many stages of a stone
Before they come together as finished jewelry pieces, the stones undergo a transformative progression in multiple, meticulous stages.
“There are so many stages of the stones,” Jim Tice says. “We have some turquoise that we have had for several years and we are now just getting into cutting it.”
“Once turquoise stones are cut, they then need to be backed and formed into cabochons. After that, the final cabochons are polished and ready to be used in a jewelry piece,” Jim explains.
As for the design process, stones are usually sent to artists so they are able to create with them and others are used by the Tice family to craft their own jewelry pieces. The passion for design and creation runs so deep they find themselves in their workshop frequently making memories and creating together, something that is so enjoyable and essential to family bonding.
“If our family could, I think all of us would be in our design rooms all day every day. We all have such a passion for what we do,” Annie shares.
Annie’s personal design process usually looks like making a piece around one stone that she has really fallen in love with. Different qualities of a stone can allow the stone to speak to individuals on a personal level.
“My grandmother always told me that a stone will speak to you, and it chooses you,” Annie reflects. “I see it every day in the stores. People just gravitate to certain stones and sometimes surprise themselves because it wasn’t anything they thought they would like.”
Whether it is the unique color or matrices. Falling in love with your stones are essential in designing jewelry that you are really passionate about. The process of designing from stone to completion can take several months.
Several silverwork stages
To some customers the silverwork is what really draws them to a piece in the case at Dakota Sky Stone. That silver work process is made of a few intricate steps.
According to Jim, all Dakota Sky Stone silver work starts out as one sheet of silver where stones are laid out. After that the bezels for stones are created and soldered to the silver sheet. The whole design is then cut out with a jewelers saw and undergoes numerous stations of buffing and polishing. Once the buffing and polishing is complete, the stones are added back into the bezels to be finalized and set into the final piece.
The commitment to Native American culture and artistry
Dakota Sky Stone embodies a profound dedication to the nearly 280 Native American artists they collaborate with, ensuring the preservation and celebration of indigenous artistry and cultural traditions. With each piece of jewelry sold, they not only showcase the exquisite craftsmanship of their artisans, but also share rich histories and stories embedded in the stones and designs.
“I believe what makes Dakota Sky Stone most special is the idea that you are not just buying a piece of jewelry, you are learning the story behind the piece,” Annie explains. “Since our family works hand and hand in every aspect of making the jewelry, we are able to give them the history of the stone, artist and where it came from.”
From their family to yours
Dakota Sky Stone cultivates a unique bond with its customers by sharing their radiant passion for the craft they have invested themselves in. Whether it is picking out the piece that really speaks to you, learning a detailed history of the creation of your piece, or gathering around for a cherished story about their travels and business ventures, customers bond with the Tice family through their dedication.
“Another thing is our passion and love of what we do is shown in our designs, our stores and how we welcome our customers,” Annie states. “We always say you may walk into our store as a customer, but you always leave as a friend.”
Turquoise Tidbits
Sunnyside Turquoise
- Found in the Sunnyside mine in northern Nevada
- Sunnyside turquoise is extremely hard and contains bright blue ripples against a darker host rock
Kingman Turquoise
- Found in Kingman, Arizona.
- Kingman turquoise can range from pale to dark blue, and sometimes includes shades of green. The color is determined by the copper and iron in the stone, with copper creating a blue tone and iron creating green hue
- Matrices can be white, light brown, or black
Royston Turquoise
- Found in the Royston Mining District, Nevada
- Royston turquoise can be two-toned, with both light and dark green or blue
- Known for heavy matrix dark brown to gold in color
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the jewelry-making process begin?
The process begins with the Tice family traveling to turquoise mines and hand-picking stones. The stones’ colors, matrix patterns, and individual character help guide their selections.
How are turquoise stones prepared for jewelry?
Jim describes cutting the stones, backing them, forming them into cabochons, and polishing them before they are used in a finished jewelry piece.
How does Annie begin designing a piece?
Annie often starts with one stone she has fallen in love with and builds the design around it. A distinctive color or matrix pattern can provide the starting point.
How long can the design and creation process take?
The article explains that designing a piece from stone to completion can take several months. Some turquoise remains in the family’s collection for years before they begin cutting it.
What steps are involved in the silverwork?
Jim describes laying out stones on a sheet of silver, creating and soldering bezels, cutting out the design, and buffing and polishing the silver before setting the stones.
When are the stones set into the silverwork?
The stones are placed back into their bezels and set after the silverwork has been cut, buffed, and polished.
Who creates jewelry from the family’s selected stones?
Some stones are sent to collaborating artists, while others are used by members of the Tice family to craft their own jewelry pieces.
What can customers learn about a finished piece?
The family’s involvement in sourcing and making jewelry allows them to share the history of a stone, the artist behind the piece, and where the stone came from.
Family Owned Since 1971
Deadwood & Wall, SD | 605.390.5500
dakotaskystone@gmail.com
