1960s Natural Gem Grade Bisbee Turquoise Heavy Gauge Silver Bracelet (#09)

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Many of the older Navajo people believe that, "It ain't the real deal if it ain't heavy".   That must have been the philosophy of the silversmith who created this piece of jewelry.  The bracelet was hand-crafted in the 1960's of heavy guage triangle and half round silver stock.  The design work on the sides of the piece has been deeply impressed with cold steel stamps. It was created to last through the millennium.  This well-endowed bracelet is set with seven well-matched and beautifully cut cabochons of gem-grade natural Bisbee turquoise.  This is the real deal; it is classic and it is gorgeous!

Bisbee Turquoise:
Bisbee turquoise is considered one of the classics. The most recognized variety is a dark lavender blue color with a deep chocolate brown to black matrix. As with all turquoise, there is a wide variety of quality from the Bisbee mine; color and matrix patterns vary a great deal. Some of the most distinctively recognizable Indian jewelry has been set and photographed containing classic Bisbee turquoise. The most productive period of the Bisbee turquoise mine was the 1950's and 1960's. Anything coming from the mine these days is scavenged from the old dumps. The mine has been closed since the early 1970's and is currently owned by Phelps Dodge Corp. Bisbee Mine. Arizona, Cochise County. Turquoise is found in the open pit copper mine. (The Lavender Pit) Some very fine quality, hard turquoise is found here with good color and beautiful dark-colored matrix. It is found as stringers up to a few inches wide; small nugget-like masses in granite and quartzite; and minute stringers in massive pyrite.

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Navajo Jewelry See all items in this category

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Silversmithing

When and how the Navajo acquired the art of working metals is unknown but there are reasons for supposing that it was introduced among them, or at least more developed and improved upon by them, since the time they have occupied their present country?

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