Our authenticity story
Wildflower Artisans is built on one principle: every piece is real, every stone is named, and every maker is credited when we know them. This page is the long version of that promise.
Where our stones come from
Wildflower turquoise comes primarily from Cutting Edge Turquoise, our family lapidary business operated by Greg Cordova. Greg has been cutting and polishing American turquoise for over a decade. Many of the stones in our jewelry come from claims our family owns and works, including King’s Manassa in Colorado and White Buffalo in Nevada. The rest of our stones come from named American mines we trust: Kingman, Royston, Sleeping Beauty, Carico Lake, Number 8, Golden Hills, Nacozari, and others, all listed by name on the product page when we know the source.
What we do not do: dye howlite to look like turquoise, color-treat low-grade stones to deepen them, or list a stone as a named mine if we are not certain of its origin.
What “handcrafted” means here
Every piece in the Wildflower shop is hand-made by a working silversmith, not pressed from a mold or stamped on a production line. Some pieces are made by our family and partner silversmiths in Santa Fe. Many are Navajo and Zuni artisan-made, sourced through long-standing relationships with working makers across the Southwest. A small group of pieces are by independent designers like Grace Chin, Rick Tolino, Leslie Yazzie, and others who we credit by name on each product page when we have permission to.
Hand-made means the stone setting, the bezel work, and the silver finishing are done by a person, not a machine. It also means no two pieces are exactly alike, which is part of what makes one-of-a-kind drops one-of-a-kind.
The metal
All silver in the Wildflower shop is solid .925 sterling silver. The .925 hallmark is stamped on most pieces where the form allows. Selected pieces use 24K gold bezels on the stone setting, with sterling silver findings. We do not use silver-plated or silver-filled stock.
How we credit our makers
When the silversmith or designer is known and has agreed to be credited, their name appears on the product page and in our records. When a piece is sourced through artisan channels where the individual maker is not identified to us, we still credit the tradition (Navajo Sterling, Zuni Sterling) and the working region. We do not invent or fabricate maker names.
What you can verify yourself
- Real turquoise has a matrix you can see, often with brown, black, or rust-colored veining. The matrix patterns on our product photos are the actual stones.
- Sterling silver feels heavier than plated or filled silver, develops a soft patina over time, and accepts polishing.
- Each product page lists the stone, the metal, the maker (when known), and a one-of-a-kind notation when applicable.
What we promise
- If a stone is described as natural, it is natural and untreated.
- If a stone is stabilized (a common and accepted process for softer turquoise), we say so on the product page.
- If a mine is named, we have reason to believe the stone is from that mine.
- If you receive a piece and the stone does not match the description, you can return it within 30 days for a full refund. No questions, no restocking fee.
Questions and reach
If you want to know more about a specific piece, including which mine the stone is from or who the silversmith was, send us an email. We answer every message ourselves. Our contact form is at /pages/contact.
Wildflower Artisans is run by Kimberly Cordova. Cutting Edge Turquoise is run by Greg Cordova. We are a family operation, online-only, based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We ship every order from here in 2 to 3 business days.
