It is a bummer; especially since you bought them from the artist. Sorry we didn’t have better news. I have some things I was sure were legit, and it was disappointing finding out otherwise.
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I feel this is a case in point of the market awareness of the smiths. We discussed this briefly when @TAH brought it up during the talk of @Ziacat’s cuff. For those that have yet to read it, John Adair makes a point in his cornerstone book The Navajo and Pueblo Silversmiths, 1944, that only the tourists were(are) interested in seeing patina. It was impressed upon him during his time spent with the silversmiths that the Navajo can’t polish their silver enough, and oxidation or patina was never seen on pieces they themselves wore or made for eachother. Forcing patina was only ever performed on pieces bound for the trading posts.
Obviously tastes and times have changed, I’m not saying some smiths today wouldn’t prefer a bit of patina, I’ve just always thought that was interesting. Keeping their silver bright ensured that they were “walking in beauty” and that was(is) paramount.
A few weeks ago, I stumbled on a little store in a small town in Ohio that had a fair amount of Navajo jewelry from mid-century to contemporary. She had quite a few of these strands in multiple sizes. Her employee was, rather forcefully, representing them as Navajo hand made. Being clearly machine made and far too perfect for my taste, I had to bite my tongue. (Honestly, I breathed a few words, but I don’t believe she could see my lips move behind my mustache.) The proprietor of the establishment was an awesome character, and we talked at length. As I was leaving, I could hear her politely ripping her employee a new one.
@Louisvillecards, I’m with @Ziacat, it’s never satisfying being a bearer of unfavorable news, but at least now you know, and all of this is shared in the interest of helping others. 
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@Ravenscry Appreciate you raising the traditional Navajo aesthetics point of view on bright silver. It continues to be instructive to me. Contemporary writers, like Batkin on the curio trade and Paula Baxter, also discuss market influences on Native jewelry makers.
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They look machine made. The oxidation is done to mimic a seam.
@Rose1 These faux-oxidized beads have their blackening at each end, which is not where a seam would be. A real Navajo silver bead is made in two halves, with the seam being at midpoint.
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I understand that. I didn’t say that technique was a good facsimile of a Navajo bead. lol