This top-quality sterling silver and turquoise bracelet was created by Navajo silversmith, Virgil Begay, deceased. Virgil had a passion for excellence - using an old pawn finish and choosing the best quality stones. The inside, as well as the outside, of this scalloped cuff bracelet is intricately stamped from end to end. This is a top quality one-of-a-kind Navajo bracelet!
This bracelet features a huge Blue Gem turquoise stone, the color of which is a deep teal with light sandy brown matrix. This stone has been stabilized for strength and long-lasting beauty. Turquoise by nature is very porous and needs to be sealed to maintain its original color. Stabilized turquoise is a natural turquoise that is too porous or soft to hold a luster. It is submerged into a stabilizing compound, usually an epoxy resin. The natural capillary action of the porous stone draws this stabilizing compound throughout the stone. The color has not been altered.
The bracelet measures 2-3/4 inches wide at the front with a 5-1/2 inch inside circumferance end-to-end plus a 15/16 inch opening gap. As reference, my wrist is 6 around (see last photo) and the bracelet is slightly loose on me. It weighs a 112.6 grams (that's almost 4 ounces!).
Exceptional quality and workmanship.
Brand new in perfect condition. It is stamped sterling and has Virgil Begay's hallmark. Certificate of Authenticity included and gift box included.
Virgil Begay passed away recently and he had been creating traditional Navajo jewelry for 25 years. He came from a family of well known silversmiths. His mother and father were both silversmiths