All Bedouin silver jewelry is handmade and each is unique, although some traditional designs are followed.	Bedouin Jewelry has long been prized by western collectors for the personal nature of the pieces. Traditional Bedouin jewelry was not made for export but for personal adornment, often signifying the most important events of the life of the artist such as marriage, the birth of a child, or offering a special prayer of thanks or supplication. Bedouin silver, since it was not made for commercial purposes, usually has uncertain silver content; however, certain regions such as the Oman/Dhofar region are known for very high quality of the silver in addition to exquisite handwork in the production of the pieces.
Artists incorporated materials at hand in their work. Coral, turquoise, carnelian, amber and lapis are some of the popular stones used frequently in jewelry. However glass and even plastic are sometimes found in pieces. The workmanship varies from fine to casual depending on the economic status of the artist or recipient. Very old pieces are rare as tradition provides that jewelry be destroyed on the death of the owner. Usually these pieces are broken into parts and reused in another style.
Many articles are talismanic and these are of great interest to western collectors. Hirz, amulets, commonly are seen in many shapes – square, rectangular, the ancient triangular shape and cylindrical. These contain koranic verses or other blessings. Most sought after are inscribed amulets – Hirz kittab, most frequently found in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula. Tiny bells are frequently used to dispel evil spirits.	Colored gems also are thought to have talismanic aspect – blue  beads are felt to repel the evil eye, green stones or beads are used to protect new mothers while red stones are power against inflammation.  Aspects of design and workmanship often reveal origins.
The finest filigree work is from Yemen. While Omani jewelry displays fine craftsmanship in engraving, repousse and chasing, ornaments of the eastern province of Saudi Arabia, Al Hasa, exhibit influences of the vast eastern trade routes introducing adaptations of designs and symbolism from Persia, India and China. Personal adornment is as old as time. Gifts and tributes continue into present times, although perhaps not in the form of jewelry. The expression of Bedouin art and traditions reflected in these pieces is both historical and artistic record of the evolution of the region.