But on the upside of sellers not appreciating, understanding, or properly valuing these treasures they are probably selling way too cheaply to do justice to those who put so much love and meaning into creating them…I’d rather it be sold for cheap rather than they choose to destroy it for the scrap value of the metals (although I’m sure many do…ouch). 
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Even during slumps in the NA market, the jewelry retains more value as jewelry when compared to melt value. However, there are stupid people that would send it for refining. The upshot is that the refiners (I actually asked about this) pull good jewelry out for sale to buyers for resale. They realize that they can make more selling the scrap as jewelry. So you probably don’t need to loose too much sleep over much of it being melted. As far as uninformed people selling NA jewelry cheap. I have no problem with that as we collect and appreciate it and don’t mind bargains.
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There’s the other side of the coin, too, as in the resellers whose sunk costs are exorbitant because they bought in the 1970s when the vogue was red-hot. They could have $1,800 1974 dollars in a garden-variety but nice squash necklace and are trying to recoup or profit now. Well, they’ll be disappointed. A lot of amateur sellers don’t have a sense of the glut of things available they’re competing against.
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True, Xtina. Don’t know if we’ve gotten to a point yet where items will bring more in scrap than they are selling for in the resale market, but we are certainly getting close. The downside for NA jewelry is that once a general expectation of extremely low price vs material value spirals ever downward, it absolutely kills the incentive for artists to invest the time and effort to create anything new and valuable.
Every spiral has an end point though, and my sense is that we’re getting close to the end point of this one.
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@mmrogers, I know exactly what you are saying. I’ve talked to people who are shocked at what I’ve paid for Native American art, and I certainly have not overpaid. They have no clue as to what goes in to making it. I have a friend who is an artist who also does carpentry. He would get frustrated with everybody wanting to pay box store manufactured cheap furniture prices for his handmade items from old reclaimed barn wood.
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In my humble opinion, I used to say “all their taste is in their mouths” for the new generations. Now, not even that. From ikea particle board to outrageous restoration hardware. Yet I’ve seen period well made cherry chippendale highboys sells for $800 - $1200 at auction in the last few years. Now where did I see that “no cure for stupid” t-shirt? It might be time to revisit Robert Pirsig on “quality”. Maybe that’s why we all here value and respect the hand-made NA (and other) jewelry.
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Fabulous thread - this is a true treasure trove for good information. I’ve seen a number of bracelets exactly like these and have one myself in the turquoise - your explanation/story sure rings true @mmrogers - thank you! So glad to know more about it. 
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I have sold a couple of these with different stones and seen many more. Turquoise, onyx, coral, opal, malachite etc. I have often seen them attributed to Max Calladito. Thinking they were made assembly line style vs one at a time.