For thousands of years, Navajo and Pueblo peoples mined turquoise found deep in the desolation of local deserts, fashioning it into jewelry because of a deeply held spiritual belief that the gemstone protected its wearers from harm. Called “Doo tl' izh ii” or “the stone of life” in Navajo, turquoise’s centuries of use in Native jewelry led to the creation of distinctive Southwestern jewelry styles which still persist today. Southwest jewelry is all about turquoise treasures, coral accents, braided leather, and historic-inspired designs set in both gold and silver. When paired with a comfy pair of cowboy boots and plenty of denim, Southwest jewelry finishes off a cowboy glam look like no other. Still, Western jewelry has (unfairly!) gotten a bad rap for being too flashy or too gimmicky to be worn for more than a themed night out. Well, never fear, because Deutsch is here, and we’re committed to dispelling that misconception! Just in time for Rodeo season, our 2022 guide to the best brands for bringing out your inner buckaroo without becoming a bust is your best bet to rocking the rodeo. Ride into the Houston Rodeo on your high horse in high glam, and prepare to end the night with a colt following. Seriously, you’ll be the mane event.
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Armenta is a brand that draws from a multitude of historical design trends for inspiration, resulting in beautifully complex pieces bursting with spirit and vibrance. Armenta’s New World collection, for example, borrows its love for blue gemstones, leather details, and maximalist aesthetics from traditional Southwestern jewelry. Jewelry from the New World collection, you see, is designed to be paired and stacked for some deliciously dramatic Western wear. Necklaces like Armenta’s charming New World Peruvian Opal/Mother Of Pearl/Quartz Triplet Stone and Champagne Diamond Necklace are created with the notion of layering in mind. Featuring an adjustable 16-to-17 inch sterling silver chain and round 12mm Peruvian opal pendant complemented by a white quartz and champagne diamond halo, this Southwestern-inspired necklace is the perfect mid-length necklace to complete your necklace stack. Pair it with a short choker-style necklace and a long 20 or 22 inch necklace for a sophisticated look guaranteed to stun at the stadium.
And this “more is more” attitude doesn’t have to apply just to your necklaces, either! Stacking jewelry of the same color, material, width, or size can make your bracelet stack a little too homogenous to pack the punch it should, so a leather bracelet can be the key to unlocking your stack’s potential. Up your bracelet game by pairing chunky silver bangles and turquoise bracelets with rustic leather bracelets like Armenta’s New World Leather Wrap and Pave Clasp Bracelet. The rugged masculinity of the leather material melds flawlessly with the super feminine pavé diamond clasp in this unique wrap bracelet, making for a piece of jewelry that is brimming with spirit—perfect for getting spirited away at the Rodeo.
Bright, beautiful turquoise is the heart of Southwest jewelry. With its distinctive blue-green hue, turquoise is a gemstone that is versatile above all else. When it comes to Rodeo season, most Houstonians dust off their cowboy boots and pair them with black, neutral, or dark blue denim-colored clothing, often accompanied by leather elements, suede textures, festive fringe accents, and Southwestern fashion’s favorite gemstone: turquoise. Show up and show off at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo with turquoise jewelry designed to turn out—jewelry like John Apel’s Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Earrings. Despite the name, we can guarantee the distinctive aqua tones and uber-modern setting of these statement earrings will have you wide awake. Set in 18k rose gold, these teardrop-shaped turquoise earrings are a masterclass in modern femininity. While most traditional Western-inspired turquoise jewelry is big, bold, and loud, John Apel’s dangle earrings manage to appear delicate and graceful in spite of their impressive size. Aided by the inherently romantic quality of rose gold, the particular layout of the diamond accents around the turquoise resembles a delicate lace collar, evoking a sense of dreaminess and airiness that would otherwise seem impossible with the impressive carat weight of the diamonds. Pair these turquoise earrings with a black sweater, cute jeans, and fringed booties, or perhaps with a coral dress, denim jacket, and cowboy boots for your 2022 Rodeo glam. Just don’t sleep on these beauties!
For yet another airily feminine take on turquoise jewelry, consider John Apel’s Turquoise and Diamond Necklace. This time set in 18k yellow gold, John Apel’s turquoise necklace is a highly adaptable piece of jewelry that can be layered with other necklaces for a charming boho effect, or be worn solo to add a subtle pop of color to your Rodeo ensemble. Handmade with care, the Western-inspired necklace offsets the vivid, well, turquoise color of its turquoise beads with rich yellow gold charms encrusted with diamonds. Make the freedom, joy, and jubilation of summertime that this beaded necklace reflects a year-round celebration. Instead of “Christmas in July”, try taking “Summertime in Rodeo season” for a spin; Texas certainly has the weather for it!
There are few brands as perfectly suited to Rodeo wear than Vincent Peach: a brand whose aesthetic is literally centered around horses, stables, and equestrianism. Though the brand’s numerous horseshoe or shackle-based designs might be a little too on the nose for Rodeo season, the brand’s less overtly animal-inspired designs still capture the cowboy spirit of the West. Often featuring a contrastive combination of hyper-masculine elements like braided leather straps alongside hyper-feminine elements like pearl and diamond, jewelry by Vincent Peach is a contemporary take on the tradition of Southwest jewelry. In pieces like Vincent Peach’s Demure Teardrop Earrings, this distinctly modern approach to rustic jewelry makes the Old West new again. Appropriately named, the Demure Teardrop Earrings’ materials incorporate warm premium leather, sterling silver, diamond, and freshwater pearls in a design emblematic of the brand’s signature rugged-meets-refined look. These Western earrings meet the ear with a diamond-studded sterling silver post, which descends into a thin strip of brown leather tied off with simple, but effective knots; at the bottom of this leather strip, a singular perfect pearl dangles. Understated, elegant, and infused with the rustic vibes of the cowboy past, these pearl earrings can be your way of starting a new cowboy tradition. Think less rhinestone, more pearl for this cowboy.