oday, Montana Silversmiths sets the goldand silver standard of excellence throughdesign and artisanship. As the company

has evolved, and product offerings expandedfrom buckles into jewelry, Montana Silversmithsdedication to creating quality pieces remains thesame throughout, with a focus on using tradi-tional design elements and craftsmanship tocreate a variety of pieces with timeless appealand fresh, fashion-trending excitement.Montana Silversmiths newest exploration of

new design inspired by traditional style is pre-sented in two new buckle and jewelry collec-tions. These pieces utilize MontanaSilversmiths metal artistry and the industry’slatest technology in an exciting new andunique way to capture a romantic nostalgiausing cut lines of etched metal inspired byleather carving and distinctive beading pat-terns in silver, gold, and copper.The Cross Cut Collection holds the essence of

vintage bead craft in its design with an elegantlyindustrial feel with its crisp lines and solid struc-ture. Geometric shapes and lines hearken toAztec influences while revolutionary technologytransforms those designs into products that areon trend in today’s fashion marketplace. Sleek

and stylish, these designs hold appealfor men and women with their

patterns and finishes, ac-centuating any style.

The Leather CutCollection drawsfrom Sheridanleather carvingpatterns ofvines, leaves andflowers trimmedneatly with buck-

stitched edging tocreate highly detailed

pieces also appealing toboth men and women. Flo-

ral accents and bright cut engrav-

ing reflect the best of traditional Western craftand metal working in this graceful line of bucklesand jewelry. These pieces in single or tri-coloredfinishes like silver, gold and copper are apoignant reflection of the Treasure State in whichthey were created.Beginning over 40 years ago as a local busi-

ness in a small town with the idea to createbuckles that were worthy of champions,Montana Silversmiths knows how to draw fromtradition and experience in order to discoverand create new, innovative designs. Still basedto this day in the small town of Columbus, Mon-tana, Montana Silversmiths employs over 200people from the local community. Montana Silversmiths takes the qualities and

values of the Western lifestyle and translatesthem to the company philosophy and into theirbuckles and jewelry. They have a legacy of en-graving within their company where the saying‘passed down through the generations’ is a lit-eral truth, with their master engraver passingon his knowledge to his apprentice, often afamily member. Those qualities and values that the company

surrounds its self with allow for the creationand design of the Brand of Champions™ buck-les that they create for their partners and vari-ous events. As many as 25 hands will touch abuckle before it is sent out the doors ofMontana Silversmiths on its way to its finalhome. From every tiny etched cut on a buckle,to the jeweler’s set stone, to the minutelypainted corners, Montana Silversmiths endeav-ors to create a piece that the people working onit would be proud to own. The design process for each piece that bears

the name Montana Silversmiths, be it buckleor jewelry, is detailed and intense. Beginningwith a sketch on a designer’s drawing board,multiple options are displayed at first, fromwhich anywhere from one to several sketchesare chosen by an expert design, production,marketing, sales and consumer panel, after

MONTANA SILVERSMITHSF R O M O U R C O R P O R A T E P A R T N E R S

“Montana

Silversmiths knows

how to draw from

tradition and

experience in order

to discover and

create new,

innovative designs.”

T

which the selected sketches are sent back to the designers withsuggestions and changes. Once sketches are approved, they are then handed to the mas-

ter engravers who translate the drawings into a 3-D clay reality.Imagine the thought and steadfast handiwork used to see an ideaand craft it into a tangible piece of art. Those relief sculpturesare reviewed, changes added as needed, and then again face adeciding panel. Once past this process the piece begins its final translation into

being finished with silver, gold and copper and sometimes even ac-cented with stones. At this point the elimination process is not complete in the

face of further design standard review in conjunction with testingfor quality control. After final careful review, pieces are selectedto be part of a catalog, or, if a custom design, then presented tothe customer.As the Brand of Champions™, Montana Silversmiths believes the

championship buckle that is the symbol of all the hard work, sac-rifice and dedication a champion shows should have the same at-tention to detail.

Making the product is no less rigorous than creating and se-lecting a design. Every step of the process for making any piecein the Montana Silversmiths’ Columbus plant involves the hands-on assembling in perfect concert from one step to the next. Mak-ing so many buckles and pieces of jewelry every day develops akeen eye in every employee at every step, from which a deepsense of pride grows in the work each person contributes to thefinished pieces. Every frame, every figure, every snippet of filigreeis set by hand, just so. When silver finish meets gold detail, crispand precise, it’s because of the individuals who painted it. Andevery buckle and jewelry piece is precisely set and secured in itstrademark blue velvet box by hand, after having been carefullypicked and inspected.Whether to inspire sentiment or nostalgia for days gone by, ex-

citement for an event or creating a confident can-do attitude, Mon-tana Silversmiths wants to evoke an emotion when you see or weara piece from Montana Silversmiths. Today, more than ever, Montana Silversmiths stands committed

to our Corporate Partner NRHA, the Western lifestyle and the futureof the Brand of Champions™. F