The Navajo tribe is ancient and the most easily recognized Native American tribe of the Southwest today. One of the well-used elements of Native American jewelry and art is the use of the turquoise gem. This stunning blue stone has been featured in Native American art for centuries and has a deep cultural background, rooted in legend and belief.
The stone itself is mined from caverns near water sources like lakes and streams. The water soaks into the rocks of these mines and brings various minerals along with it. Over millions of years, the beautiful blue stone forms, differing in coloration depending on the present elements within.
Since the vast amount of turquoise is typically a stunning sky blue color, the belief that is commonly held is the stone is connected to water and hold certain healing properties as a result. Water is seen as a sacred source of life and vitality so a stone that embodies the element is believed to have the same traits. This is why so many Navajo silver turquoise bracelets feature the stone; that, and the abundance of the stone that can be found in the American Southwest.
Navajo Silver Turquoise Bracelets
The use of this sacred stone in jewelry can be taken as pretty significant. Navajo artists try to instill their heritage and set of beliefs into their pieces.
When you find a Navajo bracelet, you will usually find that the stone and silver are larger than the setting and showcase the matrix (veins). These elements are two great ways to tell if a piece is from a Navajo artist.
With Navajo Silver Turquoise Bracelets, you will usually find a cuff or beaded style turquoise bracelets that feature the turquoise stone prominently at the center. However, artists are ever the creative type so they will also use other techniques, such as using multiple stones, featuring a traditional Native American image, or something like that to separate themselves as artists.
Regardless of their approach, many of these elements still remain the same in Navajo Silver Turquoise Bracelets and achieve stunning results.