Myron Panteah 14K Yellow Gold and Sterling Silver Vintage Navajo Native American Petroglyph Storyteller Cuff

Myron Panteah

Myron Panteah was born in 1966, in the Zuni community of New Mexico. He came into a family where jewelry wasn’t just a trade, it was a way of passing on stories. His father and grandmother worked at their benches, silver and stone catching the light, and Myron watched. Those early years weren’t about formal lessons so much as being present seeing hands move with confidence, learning that metal and stone could carry memory.

As a third-generation jeweler, he naturally picked up the craft. But his path didn’t stay smooth. A serious injury left him unable to continue with the intricate stone inlay work that Zuni jewelers are often known for. For many, that might have been the end. For Myron, it became a turning point. He leaned into metalwork, pushing himself to experiment with copper, silver, and Japanese wood-grain metals. Sometimes he set stones into them, sometimes not. The shift wasn’t just technical it changed how he expressed himself.

People began to notice that his pieces carried a particular energy. They weren’t only beautiful; they had wit, warmth, and something personal in them. His sense of humor found its way into the work, and his belief that joy is part of life shaped the designs. Every new piece felt a bit surprising, different from the last, inviting people to keep looking for what he might do next.

Myron’s jewelry became more than adornment. For those who held it, it felt like a glimpse into his story, how he’d met hardship with adaptation, how laughter and resilience could live inside metal. Each bracelet, pendant, or ring carried some of that spirit, small narratives forged in copper and silver, told in his own way.