Vendors of Native American jewelry know that many tourists do not know what good price is for a particular item, and that even more tourists will be unable to identify low-quality materials. They know that by the time the tourist's skin turns green from nickel silver or by the time he learns that the price was too high, the tourist will be long gone. Most artisans are fairly straightforward in their dealings, but enough vendors take advantage of these facts that buyers should be informed and prepared.
What Jewelry Buyers Should Know
Savvy buyers will know a good "weld" (soldered joint) from a poor one. They will know what sterling silver looks like and what nickel silver looks like. They will also know whether they should accept a price, negotiate a better price, or walk away from the deal.
Caveat Emptor - Tricks of an Unscrupulous Vendor
One Native American jewelry vendor sold his work at the Four Corners Monument in Arizona, and he took advantage of tourists' lack of knowledge. On a breezy day in August, he was selling rings - plain silver bands. Tourists were buying his rings for $20 apiece without question, but a knowledgable woman who was there that day knew that the rings were nickel silver. She warned those from her group, then left the booth to check on the rest of her friends. The vendor quickly pulled out another tray, saying, "These are real sterling silver." Tourists, including some from her group, started buying them - at $40 each.
The savvy shopper came back by that booth and saw the higher price tags. She explained that the rings were poorly made and that the price was too high, even for quality rings of that style. The vendor became annoyed. While she stood at his table, he pulled out another tray - sterling silver rings of fair workmanship, with $20 price tags. The savvy shopper still didn't think the price was good, considering the quality of the rings, and especially considering the vendor's previous attempts at deception.
A Fair Price for Native American Jewelry
She ventured, "I'll give you twenty dollars, but I'll take five of those rings. That's about all they're worth." The vendor laughed and agreed to her offer. Tourists had been paying ten times what they should have been paying for those plain, thin sterling bands. Before the savvy shopper showed up, they weren't even getting the real thing.
Knowing sterling silver from nickel silver, knowing a good "weld" (soldered joint) from a poor one, and knowing fair prices from highway robbery will help tourists to the Southwest United States become more savvy souvenir shoppers.
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