White, bold, arched text reads Daisy Cowboy with smaller text underneath: Gallup, NM Est. 2025. Text has a teal drop shadow on a transparent background.
The Yei’ be’ Chei’ Inlay Ring by Lester James (Navajo) is a silver ring with a textured, irregular design, featuring an inlaid turquoise stone, a small round red-orange accent, and thin black lines.
A silver ring with a textured, irregular-shaped face featuring inlaid turquoise and a small round orange stone in a geometric pattern. The band also has engraved designs.
A close-up of a rustic silver ring featuring an engraved design with a textured finish and a turquoise stone set in the center.
A rustic silver ring featuring a textured band and an irregularly shaped turquoise stone with inlaid designs and a small orange accent stone in the center.
The Yei’ be’ Chei’ Inlay Ring by Lester James (Navajo) is a silver ring with a textured, irregular design, featuring an inlaid turquoise stone, a small round red-orange accent, and thin black lines.

Yei’ be’ Chei’ Inlay Ring by Lester James (Navajo)

$360.00

As the nights grow cooler across the high Colorado Plateau and Shiprock Fair arrives, it becomes Yei’ be’ Chei’ season among the Navajo people. These sacred night ceremonies are part of traditional healing rituals where masked dancers move through the darkness

Sterling Silver | Turquoise | Mediterranean Coral | Tufa Cast

As the nights grow cooler across the high Colorado Plateau and Shiprock Fair arrives, it becomes Yei’ be’ Chei’ season among the Navajo people. These sacred night ceremonies are part of traditional healing rituals where masked dancers move through the darkness while the medicine man works to restore harmony and healing. The Yei’ be’ Chei’ figures wear ceremonial masks rich with meaning and spiritual power — images that continue to inspire Navajo artists today.

Navajo silversmith Lester James transforms that inspiration into wearable art with this striking handmade ring. Using traditional tufa casting techniques, Lester creates a textured sterling silver setting shaped around a stylized Yei’ be’ Chei’ mask design. The rough organic surface left by the tufa stone mold gives the ring an ancient, ceremonial feel, while the bold inlay work adds vivid life and color.

The mask itself is beautifully inlaid with rich blue turquoise stones accented by dark matrix, along with a small cut of Mediterranean coral that creates a dramatic focal point. Fine geometric inlay lines divide the composition, giving the face balance and movement while preserving the unmistakable spirit of Navajo design.

The shoulders of the ring carry carved and textured details that resemble ceremonial forms or feathers, adding even more depth and character to the piece. Every angle reveals hand-worked artistry and Lester James’ ability to blend tradition with bold contemporary expression.

This is more than a ring — it is a powerful piece of Navajo wearable art that carries the spirit of ceremony, storytelling, and craftsmanship.

Face Size – 1″ x 3/4″
Ring Size – 9 1/4
Weight – .420 ozt

1 in stock

Lester James

MEET THE ARTIST
Lester James

Navajo artist Lester James didn't wait long to start his jewelry making career. He graduated from high school and went to work for Anasazi Traders, a jewelry manufacturer in Gallup, doing simple repairs.

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