White buffalo is the bright white stone with bold black webbing that has become one of the most recognisable looks in modern Southwest jewelry. It comes out of Nevada, from the same kind of ground that produces turquoise, and it is often sold under the name white buffalo turquoise. Worth knowing before you buy: it is not blue turquoise that lost its colour. It is a different white material found in those formations, and the black is the host rock running through it.
We say that plainly because the name confuses people, and because the stone does not need the help. The appeal of white buffalo is pure graphic contrast — white against black, with no colour competing — which is why it works so well in heavy men’s rings, wide cuffs and bolo ties, and why it pairs cleanly with sterling silver rather than fighting it.
How to judge it: the white should read genuinely white, not grey or dishwater, and the black matrix should be crisp-edged rather than smudged or bleeding into the field. Pattern matters more than in most stones — a strong spiderweb or a bold single vein is worth more than scattered speckling. On inlay, check that neighbouring pieces are cut so the matrix lines flow rather than stopping dead at each seam.
We stock more than 300 white buffalo pieces, handmade with natural stones and set in sterling silver, from slim stacking rings to substantial buckles and cuffs.
For the same black-and-white effect from a different material, see black onyx; for a genuinely pale turquoise, see Dry Creek turquoise, which is a different stone again. The Turquoise Guide explains how the two are told apart, and the full turquoise collection is worth a look. Family owned in Old Town Scottsdale since 1979; 4.9 stars across 280+ Google reviews. Free US shipping over $99.