The New Zealanders were pushed right to the final whistle in the first of two tests, but refused to be shaken and secured the hard-earned win with a perfectly timed five-goal run in the closing five minutes.
Ahead 31-29 at halftime and 46-43 at the end of the third quarter, the Silver Ferns' midcourt strength coupled with some outstanding shooting, won through in the final 15 minutes.
Goal attack Maria Tutaia was in outstanding form, missing only one shot in the entire game and with goal shoot Irene van Dyk missing only two, New Zealand's 95 percent success rate proved invaluable.
The first quarter ended with neither team having gained any real ascendency, both sets of shooters initially under little defensive pressure.
The Silver Ferns' measured tactics saw the ball worked around with patience, as the midcourt took a low-risk approach to finding van Dyk and Tutaia.
The pair responded with some excellent shooting, but although the Silver Ferns eased out to a three-goal lead on a couple of occasions, the Jamaicans always managed to claw back the advantage.
The scores were tied 17-17 at the end of a relatively high-scoring first 15 minutes, and New Zealand coach Ruth Aitken opted for her first personnel change of the match.
She brought on the long reach and quick hands of rookie wing defence Larrissa Willcox for the experienced Joline Henry, and the combination seemed to work as the Silver Ferns scored the first four goals of the spell.
But with Jamaican goal keep Althea Byfield proving increasingly destructive, and well supported by goal defence Nicole Aiken's quick hands and feet, the Sunshine Girls bounced back as the spell progressed.
New Zealand went into the break ahead 31-29, and having sunk all but one of their shots on goal. In contrast, Jamaica had missed five, with the Casey Williams-Katrina Grant combination keeping star shooter Romelda Aiken under tight wraps.
But wily goal attack Simone Forbes proved more than equal to the task, her court work and eye for the goal keeping Jamaica in the match.
Williams was shifted back to goal keep in the third quarter, with Grant benched for the speedier Henry to return at goal defence, the new defensive combination keeping Forbes and Aiken under consistent pressure.
New Zealand's dominance in the midcourt ultimately proved the difference between the two teams, Laura Langman in particular outstanding at centre. Her combination with wing attack Temepara George is improving with every outing, and the pair get through a power of work on defence as well as providing real power and drive on attack.
Jamaica have only beaten New Zealand once in 42 tests, with their sole victory comin g seven years ago with when they lost the second match of a three-test series in Kingston 53-44 before going on to take the series 2-1.
The last time the two teams met was in the world championship semifinals two years ago in Auckland, with the New Zealanders running out 59-49 winners.
The Jamaicans couldn't replicate their form of two days ago when they upset Australia 56-55 in the second of two tests in Kingston. It was only their fourth win in over 30 tests against Australia.
The series finished 1-1 after the Diamonds squeezed out a 53-51 victory in the first match last Saturday.
Earlier this month, the Silver Ferns overcame a slow start and initial losses to England and Australia to win the inaugural FastNet world series.
The competition, played in six-minute quarters with power plays and two-point goals from outside the circle, saw New Zealand take the title over Jamaica with a 32-27 win.
The Silver Ferns' second test against Jamaica is on Friday (1pm NZT).
