Bracelet c. 1915

This striking bracelet was made by a Navajo (Diné) artist. It features a silver band, split into two strands that embrace the wrist, and a vibrant green turquoise stone. Imagine the hands that shaped this piece. What were they thinking when they found the stone and decided to make this bracelet? I'm thinking about the act of repetition, pressing the metal, bending, and layering it. There’s something really lovely about that—the tooth-like serrations around the stone, like a frame that protects the jewel. I wonder what it would feel like on my skin, the cool weight of the silver against my pulse? Jewelry, like painting, is so intimate and part of the wearer's body. It seems like the maker had a conversation with the materials, and maybe that conversation continues as the piece is worn. This bracelet becomes more than just ornamentation, it's a signifier of self-expression and identity. It is a part of an ongoing dialogue between generations of artists and wearers.