Sell to Us · Squash Blossom Necklaces
A squash blossom necklace is worth far more than the silver in it.
The squash blossom is the most recognizable form in all of Southwestern jewelry, and one of the most misunderstood at the point of sale. The crescent at the bottom, the naja, was adapted by Navajo silversmiths from Moorish and Spanish pendants, and the flowered beads up the sides come from a Spanish silver ornament Europeans knew as the pomegranate blossom. The form came together in the 1870s and 1880s and never left. That history is exactly what a scrap counter cannot pay you for.
We buy squash blossom necklaces the way collectors buy them, reading the naja, the stampwork, the age, and above all the turquoise. A heavy old necklace with natural high-grade stone belongs to the collector market, not the melt pile, and we price it there. We are the team behind Old 44 Vintage, buying across Southern California in person, and we explain the whole read before any number gets said out loud.
What we look at first
The naja
The crescent pendant. Its size, casting, stampwork, and any center stone or hand tell us the era and the maker’s skill before anything else.
The stone
Natural high-grade turquoise can be worth many times a stabilized or block set. Named mines like Lone Mountain, Lander Blue, and Bisbee bring named prices, and coral strands carry their own value.
Age and construction
Ingot silver, hand-pulled wire, and honest wear mark early pieces. Old pawn examples from the trading post era are the ones we get most excited about.
Signed contemporary work
A hallmark from a recognized Navajo or Pueblo master can multiply the value of an otherwise similar necklace. Finding the stamp is part of the read.
Do not let anyone weigh it
The heartbreak we see most in this category is a family selling a grandmother’s squash blossom to a counter that pays by the gram. A necklace that would bring a strong collector price gets melted for a fraction of it, and the silver is gone for good. Before any scale is involved, text photos to (949) 449-1255, front and back, plus any stamps on the naja. We will tell you the same day whether it is a tourist piece or something the market wants, and what a fair number looks like. No obligation attaches to hearing it, and plenty of sellers use us as a second opinion against a jewelry-counter quote.
Why It Matters
The difference between ordinary and valuable is in the details: a stitch, a hallmark, a date code. Knowing them is our entire job.
How it works
Call us.
A real conversation about what you have, no forms, no waiting.
We come to you.
We look at everything, at your pace. We know what we're seeing.
Cash offer, same visit.
A fair price on the spot, or a full estate sale run for you.
Common questions
How can I tell if my squash blossom is old?
Early necklaces show hand-pulled wire, ingot silver, individually stamped beads, and honest wear at the contact points. Newer pieces are more uniform and often lighter. We read those tells in person or from clear photos, and the age matters as much as the weight.
Some of the turquoise is missing or cracked. Is it still worth selling?
Usually, yes. A missing or damaged stone is often repairable, and a strong old necklace holds most of its value with a stone out. Do not pry anything loose or attempt a repair before we look, since original stones and settings are part of what we are pricing.
Is a squash blossom worth more than its silver weight?
Almost always, and often by a wide margin. The naja, the stampwork, the stone, and the age carry the value, none of which a melt price reflects. That is exactly why it should be read as jewelry before any scale gets near it.
Know what it’s worth before you sell.
Our field guides explain how the market actually prices these things. No fishing, no hype: real ranges and the details that move them.
One call. We’ll take it
from there.
(949) 449-1255Mon-Sat 6 am-8 pm · Sun 8 am-5 pm
A real person answers, Monday through Saturday. Photos sent today are usually answered the same day.
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