@mmrogers Thank you!
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Interesting, then not hand made. I guess I always thought cast silver was heavier, these are actually quite light, lighter weight than my saucer beads.
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Hard to judge from the photos. Items as light as 26 gauge can be cast. Die stamping is also a strong possibility. The lighter they are the higher the odds that die stamping was used to create the halves. It’s faster and more efficient than casting for hollow bead making.
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So one more question (thank you for taking the time to help me learn). On some of the beads you can barely see the line where they were soldered. Is that just because the artist smoothed it out more, or is it from wear? They were pawn bought in Cameron. They really are so soft looking in their patina, which is what drew me to them.
Thanks again for putting up with my questions!
And the information you’ve given me has helped, because the soldering is coming a tiny bit apart on a couple of the beads, and I was debating getting them fixed. I’m thinking I’ll just leave them, and not worry about it.
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Hard to make a call from a few beads in a photo, Ziacat. How the beads are smoothed depends on the tools available to the maker. If a silversmith has access to a sander or polishing machine with abrasives, they can get nice smooth surfaces pretty quickly. Like anything else where there’s a paycheck at the end of a process, the silversmith is incentivized to use the fastest most efficient method possible to get from point A to point B.
The inconsistency you’re encountering says to me the beads were probably made in a hurry for something like a piecework order. I wouldn’t worry too much about the solder joints you’re describing. As long as the beads are attractive and lay well less than ideal solder joints won’t hurt anything, and as far as wear is concerned the beads will probably be around longer than we will.
ETA: I would not say the beads are not hand made. They very well may be. They simply don’t look ‘typical’, and from a technical point of view could have been made using a variety of different methods. Would love to get a first hand look at them. Best we can do from even the best photos sometimes is a “best guess”.
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A lot is lost in very close up photos. What we see in these close ups are rarely an issue or even noticed when taking in the entirety of many of these pieces of jewelry. Your beads are a wonder of human determination to create art 
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Thank you for your time and insight, mmrogers, I appreciate it; you have helped me learn about a number of my pieces. I will wear it and not worry about it breaking.
Thank you Raysha for your kind words; you are correct. I actually like the difference in the beads. Makes them look unique (to me) even though now I believe they were not handmade.
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I’ll throw in my 2-cents worth. I see the beads as possibly being a bit earlier, hand hammered thin (on a railroad track anvil) from maybe coins or poured ingots and made by someone not yet well skilled in making beads. Just another take on them and I think they are great.
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Thanks, Steve! I like them too. Even more, I love the memory of where I got them. Cameron Trading Post has (although I haven’t been there in awhile) a very small section of pawn towards the back of the store. I enjoyed talking to the Navajo lady who worked there. I always have so many memories attached to my jewelry; I put them on, and go right back to when and where I bought them. Whatever the case, this thread is teaching me a lot!
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Just gotta say I like your Cerrillos nail polish! 
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And I’m calling out @mmrogers for being so patient and friendly on this forum with his prompt, no-nonsense, never judgmental responses, clear language, and willingness to share his knowledge and years of experience with a relatively small audience. Thank you, Mike.
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Thanks TAH! I really enjoy the forum, the thoughtful, knowledgeable posts by fellow forum members, and the positive collaborative sense of community here. Can’t think of anywhere else on the internet people can go to learn about and discover the world of Native American jewelry and have questions answered with zero emphasis on purchasing something. Here, it really is all about the love of the art, the traditions, and the artists. Jason has done a tremendous job and a great service to the community world wide, in creating, facilitating, and making this incredible resource available to all of us.
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Thanks! I think I need to call it that. Of course the nail polish company has given it some ridiculous name that has absolutely nothing to do with its color. So renaming is in order 
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I wholeheartedly agree with Tah!!!
I also want to add that I appreciate all of you; y’all make this forum so interesting. I am not on Facebook so don’t have anything to compare, but the pleasure that the site brings me is tremendous. As much as I love my family and friends, I don’t have any like-mindedness there in the addiction to Native American jewelry. They listen, but I (usually ) stop when I notice their eyes glazing My hubby tries really hard, and is interested in it, but even he wears out.
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I looked in the search bar for this site and found this good thread. I’m sure there’s lots more stuff there, I just did a quick search.Understanding Navajo Pearls?
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@Ziacat , oh my goodness yes, this is such a haven for anyone with a love of NA jewellery who doesn’t have friends or family that share the passion! I feel that way, too—I know literally no one else. So it’s such a joy to come here to see what you all have and to share in the delight and learning. I often don’t have much to say beyond a 
and maybe some enthusiastic variation of “My, that’s pretty,” but believe me, I do pore appreciatively over each post.
And @mmrogers and @jason deserve special mention for kindly sharing their knowledge and expertise. Your collective generosity is breathtaking. Thank you all so much.
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Being a newcomer to this forum, I’m grateful for the knowledge, expertise, research, and personal jewelry stories shared here by everyone. Members are welcoming, friendly, and respectful toward each other. To me, this creates a pleasant environment in which to participate, ask questions, and learn. I enjoy being in this fun group of like-minded people who have a passion for turquoise jewelry!
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Sharing this example of machine-made silver beads.
I made the necklace in 1986 with items from Thunderbird Supply, Gallup, NM.
The lips on the beads were pretty large. I filed them down a little and then hand polished them.
You can see some solder marks on the beads. They are pretty lightweight.
The turquoise was sold as unstabalized Sleeping Beauty. It has become a little green. I have some of these beads in a bag. They are a beautiful baby blue in color.
The necklace is very tarnished right now. I lightened the photos so the silver beads could be seen better.
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@fernwood Thanks for posting your pretty necklace. Its backstory and close-up photos is very helpful. (If I had seen the neckIace in a retail store, I would’ve thought it entirely handmade.) I especially like the symmetry of the necklace.
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Hi Fernwood. The solder joints on these beads look like they were joined by hand. Can you post a close up photo of some of the original beads you have in the bag, from the top and side?
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