Jacob Troncosa: Four Generations of Silver, and a Story Still Being Written
Some artists discover silversmithing. Others grow up with it woven into the fabric of their family.
Jacob Troncosa, a Native American silversmith with San Felipe and Cochiti Pueblo roots, is a fourth-generation silversmith who began creating jewelry in 2015. While his own career is relatively young, the tradition behind his work reaches back through generations.
Learning a Family Tradition
Troncosa learned silversmithing through a family tradition that had already been passed down for three generations before reaching him. Specific details about which family member first put tools in his hands aren't widely documented, so we'd rather leave that part of the story unwritten than fill in the blanks.
What is clear is that Troncosa didn't simply inherit a family connection to jewelry making—he chose to continue it.
Since beginning in 2015, he has developed his own approach to the craft, carrying traditional Pueblo silversmithing techniques forward while allowing his individual style to emerge.
Let the Stone Have Something to Say
One look at Troncosa's work and it's easy to see that he isn't afraid of a great stone.
His jewelry often features substantial pieces of turquoise with plenty of natural character. Rather than overwhelming them with unnecessary ornament, his silverwork frequently gives those stones the room to become the focus of the piece.
Around them, however, there is plenty to discover.
Hand stamping, oxidized details, strong bezels and substantial sterling silver construction give his work texture and depth. His designs can feel wonderfully traditional at first glance, yet the proportions, stone choices and compositions give many pieces a distinctly contemporary presence.
It's a combination that works particularly well in his cuffs. Wide bands of sterling silver become a canvas for repeated hand-stamped patterns, while large turquoise stones introduce brilliant color and natural matrix that no silversmith could duplicate twice.
Not Particularly Interested in Playing Small
There is also something refreshingly confident about Troncosa's larger work.
Some of his cuffs and statement pieces use a considerable amount of silver, substantial stones and bold central designs. Yet size isn't used as a substitute for craftsmanship. Look beyond the turquoise and you'll often find detailed stamping, carefully constructed settings and thoughtful finishing.
The result is jewelry with presence.
Not loud for the sake of being loud. Not delicate simply because convention says jewelry should be.
Just strong silverwork paired with stones worth looking at twice.
Recognition and Collectibility
Troncosa's work has increasingly found its way into Southwestern jewelry galleries, Native jewelry collections and specialty auctions, including substantial pieces that have reached four-figure prices on the secondary market.
We were unable to verify a major juried award for Troncosa from the information currently available to us. Rather than attach an award to his biography that we can't confidently substantiate, we'll let the work speak for itself.
And there is plenty to talk about.
Four Generations Behind Him. Plenty of Road Ahead.
Perhaps what makes Jacob Troncosa especially interesting to watch is that 2015 really wasn't that long ago.
For an artist carrying a four-generation silversmithing tradition, he is still writing the early chapters of his own career.
That's part of the pleasure of collecting work from living Native artists. You're not simply collecting something connected to the past. You're supporting the people who are deciding what that artistic tradition looks like now—and what it might become next.
Jacob Troncosa brings generations of knowledge to the bench, then adds something only he can provide: his own eye, his own choices and his own evolving style.
Four generations of silversmithing behind him. The fifth chapter is entirely his own.
