Early Mimbres designs were simple and geometric, such as stylized lightning and water. In time, the motifs became vastly more complicated and included animals, humans, and scenes from Mimbres legends. The Mimbres culture consisted of several hundred small villages in southern New Mexico between 100 and 1150 AD. The people led a peaceful existence, relying on gathering, hunting, and farming.

Overlay consists of a piece of silver with a negative design cut out of it and soldered onto a sheet of plain silver. The inside of the design is oxidized to appear blackened in contrast to the polished silver. After the silver has cooled, the design is textured with tiny chisels and a rawhide hammer. Genuine Hopi silversmithing has a distinctive and fine quality that is recognized worldwide.

If desired, the small areas of patina that develop over time may be buffed with a polishing cloth.