18" 8 mm Navajo Pearl Necklace - Historically, Navajo Pearls date back to the late 1500s, with the introduction of silver by Spanish explorers.  Each individual "bead" is made by hand from sterling silver that is melted, rolled, and cut. Holes are punched, rounded, then each bead is sanded and polished. Unlike machine-made beads of perfect uniformity, handmade beads like these will each be unique. There is a revival of interest in handmade beads these days! So very fun, and beautiful.