Zuni Turquoise Bracelet
Vintage 1920s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Early 2000s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century North American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Onyx, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1980s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Turquoise, Turquoise Matrix, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1960s American Modern Bangles
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1960s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1960s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Native American Native American Objects
Late 20th Century American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1930s North American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Silver
20th Century American Native American Beaded Bracelets
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Turquoise, Silver, Sterling Silver
1990s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Jade, Turquoise, 15k Gold, Sterling Silver
20th Century American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Turquoise, Silver, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1940s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Other, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1950s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1950s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Onyx, Turquoise, Coral, Lapis Lazuli, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1960s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Pearl, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1980s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century North American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1980s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1980s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Onyx, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century American Modernist Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise
Vintage 1970s American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1960s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Onyx, Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1960s American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s Unknown Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Onyx, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century North American Native American Collectible Jewelry
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1920s American Native American Collectible Jewelry
Stone, Silver
Mid-20th Century American Native American Tribal Art
Silver
Vintage 1980s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Jade, Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1980s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Jade, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American Native American Pendant Necklaces
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1960s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1980s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Jade, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Early 1900s More Art
Early 20th Century Native American Native American Objects
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Zuni Turquoise Bracelet For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Zuni Turquoise Bracelet?
The Legacy of Turquoise in Jewelry Design
The thought of vintage and antique turquoise jewelry often conjures up images of striking Navajo bracelets and necklaces worn with a denim shirt and cowboy boots. This all-American look has been celebrated by fashion designers like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger on their runways and in ad campaigns. In the October 2016 issue of Vogue magazine, Tom Ford said he only wears turquoise jewelry at his Santa Fe ranch. So what is it about this gorgeous blue-green stone that makes us wish that we were born in December?
It’s not surprising that turquoise is abundant in New Mexico and Arizona because, according to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), it needs to be in “dry and barren regions where acidic, copper-rich groundwater seeps downward and reacts with minerals that contain phosphorus and aluminum.
Turquoise is not found in a single crystal but is a combination of microcrystals. Its appearance, waxy and opaque, is attributed to its structure and composition. “It’s an aggregate of microscopic crystals that form a solid mass. If the crystals are packed closely together, the material is less porous, so it has a finer texture. Fine-textured turquoise has an attractive, waxy luster when it’s polished. Turquoise with a less-dense crystal structure has higher porosity and coarser texture, resulting in a dull luster when it’s polished,” notes the GIA. Since no one wants to set a dull piece of turquoise, porous turquoise is often treated to make the stone more attractive.
In the United States, there have been discoveries of turquoise from 200 B.C. It is not just loose turquoise stones that have been found, but entire suites of jewelry from prehistoric times. In the late 19th-century, the Navajo Indians, who learned silversmithing from the Spanish, started to make beads out of turquoise and eventually combined it with silver around the 1880s. Initially this jewelry was for ceremonial purposes, but it became fashionable once the tourism in the Southwest picked up in the beginning of the 20th century.
Find antique and vintage turquoise rings, necklaces, bracelets and other accessories on 1stDibs.
Finding the Right Bracelets for You
Today, antique and vintage bracelets are versatile and universally loved accessories that can add polish and pizzazz to any ensemble.
Bracelets were among the jewels discovered to have been buried with Pharaoh Tutankhamun when his tomb was unearthed in 1922, and wrist and arm bracelets were allegedly worn by Queen Puabi in Sumer, southern Mesopotamia. But preceding the adornments of Ancient Egypt and elsewhere, the people of prehistoric times likely wore the decorative accessory, fashioning it from shells and fish bones. When the Bronze Age allowed for more durable materials and semiprecious stones to be incorporated into jewelry, bracelets became a treasured symbol of wealth.
In the thousands of years following the debut of the world’s first bracelets, the artistry behind this common accessory has only broadened, with designers at popular jewelry houses growing more venturesome over time. David Webb looked to nature for his Animal Kingdom bracelets, and for her best-selling bracelets and more at Tiffany & Co., Elsa Peretti would frequently do the same. From bangles to tennis bracelets, the modern age offers plenty of options.
Internationally acclaimed bracelet designs have on occasion become powerful symbols of status, style and, in the case of Cartier's iconic design, love. The Cartier Love bracelet can be found on the wish list of most jewelry lovers and on the wrist of some of the world’s biggest stars. Its arrangement of mock screwheads and distinctive functionality — it was initially locked and unlocked with an accompanying vermeil screwdriver — is an enduring expression of loyalty, unity and romance. (Do you know how to spot a fake Cartier Love bracelet?)
While the Love bracelet has played a role in the skyrocketing popularity of cuff-style bracelets, they are far from the only glamorous option for collectors. Make a statement with an Art Deco design, a style that sees all kinds of iterations fitted with studded cuffs, one-of-a-kind shapes and dazzling insets. A chunky vintage gold bracelet in the Retro style will prove eye-catching and elevate any outfit.
One of the best things about bracelets, however, is that you never have to choose just one. Style icon Jacqueline Kennedy stacked her Croisillon bracelets — designed by Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co. — with such frequency that the ornate bangles were eventually dubbed “Jackie bracelets” by reporters. Contemporary silver pieces can easily complement each other, rendering a layering of luxury almost a necessity.
Find a diverse collection of bracelets that you can sort by style, stone cut and more on 1stDibs.
Read More
How to Spot a Fake Cartier Love Bracelet
This iconic jewel has captured countless hearts with its elegant design and its amatory symbolism. Counterfeiters have taken note of the demand and created fake versions. If you’re looking for a genuine Cartier Love bracelet, it’s crucial to check all the elements for authenticity. Our guide will teach you the telltale traits of a knockoff.
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