Navajo Cuff Bracelet with Natural Persian Turquoise - Victor Begay (#016)

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"Victor Begay is considered an old master in the world of Navajo jewelry; he creates wonderful collector pieces using amazing examples of exotic turquoise. This large, gorgeous, green stone with light yellow matrix captures my imagination. Big, heavy cuff bracelets are generally uncomfortable to wear; not so with one-piece flat cuffs like this one. This style of bracelet is a pleasure to wear, because it fits the wrist so closely. Victor's stamp work is clean and precise, and he has produced an aged effect with the aid of oxidation and gentle buffing. This bracelet would be a welcome addition to any museum collection."--Barry Simpson

 

Persian Turquoise
In the Southwest, we tend to take turquoise for granted, yet it has been labeled the “Gemstone of the Centuries”. Over 7,500 years ago, slave convoys were sent into the Sinai Peninsula to pluck pieces of the blue gem from the rocks where it had formed. In ancient Egypt, turquoise was believed to have mystical powers and appeared in amulets and talisman representing their gods Amum and Isis. A gold and carved turquoise bracelet was found on the mummified arm of Queen Zer, a ruler during the first dynasty of Egyptian pharaohs. The four bracelets found in her burial are the earliest known examples of precious metal jewelry.

The Middle East emerged as the great purveyor of turquoise, supplying the ancient Egyptians, Nubians, Greeks and Romans. It is believed the name was derived from the French word, Turquie, a reference to the Turkish traders first bringing the rich blue stones to the European continent. It was assumed that the brilliant blue and green stones originated in Turkey when, in fact, they were most likely extracted from mines in the Sinai Peninsula and the Alimersai Mountain in Persia (Iran).

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