Gertrude Zachary Jewelry

Gertrude Zachary Jewelry was a visionary in the Native American jewelry industry, known for her style and grace. Born in Stuttgart, Germany, she moved to the United States in 1945. After spending her early years and college time in Michigan, she moved to Albuquerque in her early 30s. There, she noticed the lack of "contemporary lines" in Native American jewelry.

Although she had no background in jewelry design or manufacturing, she used her artistic talents to develop a new style for Native American jewelry. This style combined contemporary designs with traditional stones and gemstones. As the only female Native American jewelry manufacturer in the 1970s, she paved the way for future women in the industry.

Today, each piece of jewelry is handcrafted with the same attention to detail that Gertrude used when she started her business. At the Gertrude Zachary jewelry manufacturing facility in Downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico, designers collaborate with Native American silversmiths to create each piece by hand. Many designs being made today are based on Gertrude's original sketches, as the designers worked closely with her. She described the design process as collaborative and artistic.