This is a magnificent vintage Navajo sterling silver cluster cuff bracelet, dating to the 1940s — a classic example of mid-20th-century Navajo-Diné silversmithing at its most exuberant and labor-intensive. This bracelet is inlaid with Cerrillos turquoise from the historic Cerrillos Hills mines south of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The bracelet features a large, dramatic sunburst or rosette cluster style popular among Navajo artists during the 1930s–1950s, influenced in part by Zuni techniques but executed with distinctly Navajo boldness and heavy silverwork. Each stone is set in a fine, hand-made serrated (sawtooth) bezel. The background silver is heavily oxidized (darkened) for contrast, while the raised elements are polished. This style required many hours of hand work to precisely fit everything into the symmetrical floral pattern. The band is heavy-gauge sterling silver, wide at the face and tapering toward the open ends. This is a bold, statement-making vintage bracelet, substantial in weight and presence, yet elegantly feminine in its floral/sunburst motif. The extensive use of small teardrop cabs creates a shimmering, almost mosaic-like effect when worn. Pieces like this were often made for discerning collectors and remain highly sought after today.

Sterling Silver, Cerrillos Turquoise

Size: 5″
Opening: 1.125″
Width: 1.25″
Total Weight: 2.94 ozt