Superb Zuni Amy Quandelacy Sterling Turquoise Inlay Hummingbird Ring

C. 1980s

Measurements: 8.5-US / 61-EU / L 1/2 -UK

Face: 1.25"L x 1"W  (3.18cm x 2.54cm)

Markings: Amy 

Weight: 8.4g

A striking vintage sterling silver ring attributed to renowned Zuni artist Amy Quandelacy, dating to approximately the 1980s. The bold oval face features a stylized hummingbird rendered in intricate stone-to-stone inlay, with vivid turquoise and aqua tones contrasted by deep blackened channel accents, creating a sleek contemporary look while honoring traditional Native American craftsmanship.

Fine silver channels separate the individual inlay sections, creating a crisp mosaic effect and emphasizing the graceful curves of the bird’s body, wings, and long sweeping beak. The abstract composition gives the hummingbird a sense of movement while maintaining the clean geometry associated with exceptional Zuni inlay work.

The substantial sterling silver setting has a softly textured surface and broad tapered shoulders, giving the ring a strong sculptural presence on the hand. Both collectible and highly wearable, this distinctive piece is an excellent example of late-20th-century Native American modernist jewelry.

Beautiful sterling ring, Sleeping Beauty Mined Turquoise inlaid Hummingbird ring. Ring is in excellent condition with no damage of any kind and little to no wear, and only normal light patina. 

Amy Quandelacy is a Native American jewelry artist from the Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico, part of the Zuni (A:shiwi) people—one of the most respected traditions in Southwestern Native American jewelry. Amy was born in 1953 on the Zuni reservation. She began making jewelry in 1976 at the age of 23. She is very well known for her hummingbird and Yei inlay designs and comes from a family of artists. Amy works with high quality sleeping beauty turquoise from Arizona and she is a multiple award-winning artist. She comes from a lineage of Zuni silversmiths and lapidary artists, where jewelry-making is often a multi-generational family practice. Among the Zuni, techniques and designs are typically passed down within families, and Amy’s work reflects that deeply rooted cultural continuity. Amy Quandelacy is best known for working in classic Zuni stone-inlay traditions, especially: Petit Point & Needlepoint Tiny, hand-cut turquoise stones set in intricate patterns—often sunbursts, clusters, or floral forms. Cluster Work carefully arranged stones forming symmetrical, radiating designs—highly detailed and labor-intensive. Sterling Silver Settings, traditional handcrafted bezels and settings that highlight the stones without overpowering them. Zuni jewelry reflects more than craftsmanship—it carries cultural and spiritual meaning. The use of natural stones and traditional techniques connects each piece to Zuni heritage, identity, and artistic legacy.

The Sleeping Beauty mine is named after the range of mountains, which look like a maiden in slumber. They are located in Miami, Arizona, near Globe. The Sleeping Beauty mine produces light to dark blue turquoise with no to black matrix. It is usually found in granite and is very easy to work with. Silversmiths in the Southwest commonly use it in inlay jewelry especially the Zuni Indians who also incorporate it into their petit point and needle point jewelry. It was one of the largest mines in America. Unfortunately the Sleeping Beauty mine closed in Sept. 2012.