About Primitives

Cobalt blue, lavender, and turquoise hues pervade the lines of baubles and accents at Primitives, LTD, a jewelry outfit that has been curating a selection of handcrafted pieces since 1988. Created primarily by Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi artists, the shop’s displays are dominated by nature-influenced designs. Artist Alan Kiva handcrafts a line of Zuni opal prayer beads, carving a total of 365 cuts into each bead’s stones to represent hopes for good health, prosperity, and a surfeit of cat videos for each day of the year. The opal inlaid into the beads’ sterling-silver setting comes in colors from frosted pink to green fire and is cut through by a ribbon of clear gemstones, exemplifying the ethereal beauty of many of Primitives’ pieces.