Turquoise Naja Pendant with Cast Setting by Dan Dodson

Dan Dodson, a Southwest jewelry designer who collaborates with Turquoise Mustang, created this medium-scale cast naja pendant with an oval turquoise center stone. The naja — a crescent-shaped pendant — originated in ancient Moorish North Africa, was adopted by Spanish colonial metalworkers, and entered Navajo jewelry vocabulary through the Spanish bridle tradition in the late 19th century, where najas hung from horse bridles before being incorporated into squash blossom necklaces. Dodson's version uses clean cast construction with classic proportions. Available exclusively through Turquoise Mustang.