FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1971
By: Hanna Michels
As I cruised into Wall, SD, a township named for its natural wall formations found in the Badlands, as well as for the promise of free water advertised on its iconic Wall Drug billboards, I noticed the echoing roar of corvettes; no doubt on their way to the Black Hills. Tourists near and far have traveled here to experience this historical site flled with family fun! I pulled up to this quaint, little studio, complete with the Mater truck sitting out front, to visit my friend Jim Tice, second-generation owner and husband to Nettie Tice of Dakota Sky Stone.
Jim, a renowned artist known for his unique one-of-a-kind turquoise pieces, greeted me once I arrived. He had been hard at work in his studio creating his latest masterpiece. I was grateful for the time as he walked me through the creative process of designing the unique pieces that we have all come to love from this family-owned business. I have always been intrigued by design, and turquoise has been a love of mine for many years.
Today, Jim was designing the most fantastic pendant. I was in awe of the number of tools and turquoise pieces, both polished and raw. After the stones are carefully selected and polished, they are then paired with beautiful sterling silver bezels, each stamped with the signature “DSS.”
“Each piece is handmade, custom and one of a kind. All of our artists have their own name or unique stamp on the back identifying who created the piece…no two are alike,” Jim shared proudly as he dove back into the process of creating the beautiful pendant.
Jim has been in the jewelry business for over 50 years. Starting out, he was intrigued by the beauty of turquoise, so he enrolled in a silversmith class. He was also fascinated by the Native American culture and the artists’ techniques. Soon, Jim became passionate about creating unique pieces, incorporating stones into beautiful jewelry. This family man, husband, father and amazing “papa” had found his niche.
I asked Jim if he could share what his favorite piece was, and he proceeded to carefully pull out a beautiful necklace and earring set with stones from the Dominican mountains. This stone is known as Larimar, one of the most beautiful, rare gems on the planet.
“It’s known for how the blue and green colors seem to ripple and swirl, reminding people of the ocean waves,” Jim explained. Some say this most sought-after stone has a coolant effect, which can help heal infammation and lower fevers, as well as calm the mind. Jim then began looking around for his granddaughter Zoe's favorite stone, Golden Hills turquoise as he is in the process of designing a unique piece for her. Jim looks forward to passing down his knowledge to the fourth generation, his grandchildren Zoe and Reeder.
Having been designing for well over a decade, undoubtedly, Jim’s passion is people; his eyes said it all as he proudly spoke of his family. By putting people frst, everything always falls into place.
If you are looking for something more unique and one-of-akind, you are sure to fnd the perfect piece at one of the two Dakota Sky Stone stores located in Wall and Deadwood, SD, as well as online at dakotaskystone.com.
