05/30/2026
Born from a collaboration of ideas from multiple cultures, this iconic accessory known as the concho belt has a history that dates back to the mid 1800s. The first influence was from the Southern Plains Native Americans. The men wore simple adornments in their hair and the women tied matching disks onto leather and worn as belts. When the style traveled southwest, Navajo artisans noticed similar round silver accents on Spanish horse bridles. After learning silversmithing from Mexican metalworkers, Navajo artists merged the Spanish horse bridle shape with the Southern Plains hair-plate concept to create the first concho belts. The name is derived from the Spanish word "co**ha" meaning "seashell." Over the decades, the belt evolved through three historic phases of design, each adding new layers of skills & creativity, but always staying true to the traditional blueprint.
The two vintage concho belts in the photo are available and a great example of superior craftsmanship and feature high grade turquoise, great weight & a history all their own.
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