Hi there! I just recently got this butterfly concho belt. First, curious what it might be valued at. I’ve been told it is Blue Gem mine turquoise dating ~1950/60s. There are 9 butterflies and 8 round. Initials on the buckle are RS, so have also been told it would identify as a work of Roger Skeet Jr.
Also, does changing out the leather alter the value? It is too big for me currently, so will need to remove about 3 and cut down the leather. Was considering saving the original leather as a whole in case that has any value in keeping it “original.”
Beautiful belt! The craftsmanship, style, overall appearance, and hallmark definitely point to Roger Skeet Jr.’s work. @TAH will be able to shed a bit more light on the dating of it than myself, as he owns a beautiful buckle that was crafted by Roger Skeet Jr. and he knows much about the dates of Roger’s hallmarks.
There exist many examples of his work, both currently available and from past auctions, but here is one for sale and one from a Santa Fe Art Auction in 2023.
Saving the original leather is definitely a good idea, and it won’t take up much space! There’s also nothing wrong with removing the necessary amount of conchos and spacers and leaving the belt long. This is a nod to the old Navajos, and was/is very common, stylistically, on concho belts. Not that you’re seeking personal preferences, but I prefer a longer tail and tapered cut on my belts.
This is out of my limited range of knowledge. There a number of very intelligent, highly experienced members here that may provide you with gut feelings, but all I’m willing to say is that without provenance or a paper trail, it’s simply an educated guess as to which mine the turquoise is from.
Welcome. Good looking belt! I am certainly no expert, but I believe, as seen in @Steve‘s post, that “R S” is Roger’s last and final hallmark. Unfortunately, I don’t know when he switched to it. My guess would be mid-1960s, or a little later, to present - which means your belt could have been created over a period of several decades. Narrowing down the decade will probably be difficult considering the hallmark.
I agree with @Ravenscry regarding preserving the original leather by either wearing it long or replacing it all together and holding on to the original. To me, the stones look like they could be Blue Gem, but that’s just my opinion.
Here’s another example of Roger’s work with similar conchos…
It is a beautiful belt. I will add my two cents. When I think of 1950s/60s I think of symmetrical cuts as opposed to free form cuts. Of course you find both in earlier jewelry, it just seems the style of older pieces prefers that look.
There’s also nothing wrong with removing the necessary amount of conchos and spacers and leaving the belt long. This is a nod to the old Navajos, and was/is very common, stylistically, on concho belts. Not that you’re seeking personal preferences, but I prefer a longer tail and tapered cut on my belts. 
