It’s All About The TURQUOISE

Sunwest Silver Co Inc is a family owned business that began with a young Ernest Montoya, just home from Vietnam, selling Native American handmade jewelry out of his car. By 1972 he had established what we know today as Sunwest Silver Co, the industry’s leading source for turquoise, silver charms & findings, and finished handmade jewelry created by the Southwest’s finest Native artisans.

Sunwest Silver Co owns and operates five turquoise mines in the southwestern USA and provides distinctive stones for artisans, collectors and manufacturers. Our Albuquerque location is home to one of the world’s largest private collections of turquoise, started by Ernest Montoya in the early ‘70s. Ask for a tour!

The Sunwest Story

An inside look into the stories, the memories, and the legends that make Sunwest

Honoring The Hands That Came Before

Article about heritage and legacy in jewelry industry

Honoring The Hands That Came Before Let me tell you something I’ve come to understand after more than fifty years […]

Sunwest LIVE is… LIVE!

Joining our Sunwest Live Facebooks shows
LIVE SHOPPING Direct to YOU! A LIVE Jewelry Shopping Experience Built on Real Connection Let me tell you something... At Sunwest Silver, we never...

TURQUOISE: The Stone That Carries The Sky

Article about American Turquoise

Some stones aren’t just beautiful, they are living stories. Turquoise is one of them. At Sunwest, turquoise isn’t simply “a […]

Our Stringers

Behind the scenes with Sunwest stringing department

Strung Together Most of this team has been together 25 to 30 years. This is what dedication sounds like – […]

Don’t Miss The Next Story

Trade Show Schedule

August 13 through August 16
Santa Fe, NM
Aug 18, 2026 – Aug 21, 2026
Dallas, TX
Sep 3, 2026 – Sep 6, 2026
Tucson, AZ
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