Sundance artisan Jesse Robbins has a passion for turquoise. The richly colored turquoise found in our collection of Jesse’s exquisite jewelry can often be traced back to the turquoise nuggets and flats he finds at his own Cheyenne mine in remote north-central Nevada.

A trained archaeologist, the Arizona native explains that people have traveled to the desert for thousands of years to search for turquoise. “I’m just part of this long lineage of people who come to the middle of nowhere,” he says, “to seek this stone that seems to have a very human feel – that was meant to be a part of us.”

Jesse notes his mine doesn’t produce a lot of turquoise, and as a responsible steward of the land, he is careful not to disturb any more dirt than is necessary. The turquoise he does find is typically in small pieces but offers a stunningly rich color palette, with high grades of greens and blues.

He has become uniquely skilled to use even the smallest stones, wasting nothing. “I am able to use those small pieces in my mosaic work and in other ways in jewelry that some people don’t necessarily have the ability to do.”

Watch this evocative Sundance video of Jesse as his discusses his beloved Cheyenne mine and his process of making jewelry. And be sure to browse our Jesse Robbins jewelry collection, one of the highlights of the Sundance catalog’s 30th anniversary celebration.

Shop Artisan Jesse Robbins full collection here.