Billy Jaramillo

Born in 1965, master New Mexican silversmith Billy Jaramillo learned how to make and sell jewelry at the age of 9, from his father Ray Jaramillo, a well known silversmith featured in the book, “Leaders of Southwest Contemporary Designs.”  Today, Billy is world-famous for his contemporary inlaid Jewelry.

His father taught him to string and grind heishi. Later he learned silversmithing from Scott Patrick, one of the best master smiths in Albuquerque.Then he was taught to inlay jewelry by Kathy Sanchez, of San Felipe Pueblo, and Audrey Toribio of Zia Pueblo.

Billy cuts all his own stones from the raw material. He commonly uses rare and hard to find, high-grade turquoise and does all the silversmithing himself. Every piece is created meticulously by hand, start to finish. Billy is a true master and it shows in his work, painstakingly producing a few pieces at a time, and his jewelry is sold mainly in high end galleries. Billy lives and works in New Mexico.