Holding the line on What Matters Most
Markets change. Costs fluctuate. Conditions shift.
But the real measure of a brand is not how it performs when everything is easy — it is how it shows up when the landscape gets complicated.
Right now, sterling silver is making that reality impossible to ignore. Costs are rising. Supply chains are tightening. And more than ever, brands are being forced to decide what they are really built on: short-term flexibility, or long-term standards.
At Turquoise Mustang, our answer has always been clear. We have never been in the business of chasing the cheapest path.
We are in the business of curating jewelry that holds its value generationally — in craftsmanship, in story, and in the way it performs for the retailers who trust us with their customers.
Built on Curation, Not Compromise
From the beginning, Turquoise Mustang has been intentionally structured as a curated brand. Much of our collection comes from Navajo, Zuni and other Native American tribes' artists.
Others are produced by partners we have chosen carefully for their consistency, workmanship, and respect for quality materials. Different origins. One standard.
Every piece we carry is selected with the same filter: Does it feel substantial? Does it wear well over time? Does it represent your store — and ours — in a way that builds trust rather than erodes it.
That approach matters even more in a moment like this, when many brands are quietly making changes that customers will not necessarily notice right away: thinner silver, lighter construction, and other shortcuts that save money today but will cost brand reputation tomorrow.
Why Standards Matter Most When Pressure Is Highest
I have had several thoughtful conversations recently in which I've been asked whether now might be the time to rethink certain positions — to consider a new source, adjust weight, simplify specs, or respond to the market by easing up on some of the details that make our product what it is.
While I appreciate those conversations, here is where I stand: if a brand starts compromising the very qualities that earned trust in the first place, it is no longer adapting — it is drifting. We are not interested in drifting.
Our Pearls: A Clear Example of Our Philosophy in Action
We have always been transparent about the fact that our pearls are heavier than what you will find from many competitors. It is why so many of our wholesale partners have chosen to source their pearls from us.
That commitment has always been a true market differentiator — centered on durability, feel, and longevity. It is about creating strands that become staples in a customer’s collection and as , not disposable or fast fashion.
We stand behind our pearls with a lifelong guarantee because we believe in how they are built and how they perform. That guarantee is not marketing language — it is a responsibility, and one you can only take on when you refuse to compromise the very foundation of the product.
With our newest shipment now in, our Mustang Silver Pearls and Saucers collections are available to wholesale partners at 50% off retail pricing, and come with the lifetime guarantee that we hope you will extend to your customers.
Shop our Mustang silver pearls and saucers.
Innovation that Meets the Moment
Just as my late uncle, Dan Dodson, is widely credited with helping to popularize Western-style jewelry through his innovative approach to jewelry design, that same creative spirit continues to shape what we build at Turquoise Mustang today. His influence lives on through his sister — my mother and business partner, Joyce Piotrowski — whose decades of instinct, craftsmanship, and extraordinary eye for beauty and balance guide the direction of our beading program.
Recently, we have made a deliberate shift: Rather than relying on pearls as the dominant element in every strand an stack, we have increased our production of turquoise, spiny oyster, and onyx necklaces and bracelets — using pearls more intentionally as accent beads.
This approach has allowed us to navigate material realities while giving our retail partners something even more important: dynamic, visually compelling pieces at a far lower price point than their all-pearl counterparts.
The response has been profound. Joyce’s new necklace designs sold out in Louisville. We then added hundreds of new strands ahead of Las Vegas, and left that. And here in Oklahoma City, we are showcasing an even deeper assortment of brand-new creations. Explore our latest collection of everyday necklaces now.
The Bigger Picture
What we are really talking about is not silver prices. It is not sourcing. It is not even pearls.
It is about the kind of brand you choose to be when the market applies pressure. At Turquoise Mustang, we are choosing to double down on what built this company: thoughtful curation, high standards, and partnerships rooted in long-term success rather than reactionary decisions.
The market will keep changing. That is inevitable. Our commitment to quality, consistency, and your confidence in what you sell, however, will not.
— Len
