Native American Bracelets
Native American bracelets were often made of hammered silver and inlaid with turquoise and other types of stones. This particular type of bracelet was popular with tribes in the Southwest such as the Hopi and Navajo. The Navajo people first began using silver in their jewelry designs when silversmithing was introduced during the 1800s. Other tribes learned the art of using silver in later years. The early designs often involved twisted pieces of silver or cuff style bracelets, but became more intricate as the years passed.
At the start of the 20th century, the silver and turquoise bracelets created by the Navajo were highly popular in the United States. To keep up with demand, they began manufacturing other pieces that took less time to create. Silver strands were woven together, and they also used molds to increase the speed with which they could create new pieces.
Other types of bracelet designs popular among the Native American people were the pieces that resembled modern day friendship bracelets. These incorporated strands of cotton or wool along with beadwork. The beads were placed on the strands and then woven together to create larger bracelets. These bracelets were often dark or bright in color due to the all natural dyes used by the weaver.
Resources on Native American bracelets and retailers include:
- Native American Jewelry: handmade Native American jewelry featuring silver and turquoise, among other materials.
- Native American Style Bracelets: jewelry designer making bracelets inspired by Native American designs.
- e-Pueblo: handmade bracelets created to look like traditional Native American bracelets.
- Native American Bracelets: guide to understanding how bracelets were created and the materials used.
- Pueblo Artist: a Pueblo designer created handmade bracelets and other types of jewelry.
- Navajo Works: retailer specializing in Navajo style jewelry.
- Native American Jewelry: handmade pieces by silversmith Ron Henry.
- Lefthand Studio: southwestern studio specializing in silver jewelry inspired by Native American designs.
When shoppers begin looking at modern Native American bracelets, they may notice a strong price discrepancy. This is because some pieces are still created by hand, while others are mass produced. Mass produced pieces are made on an assembly line so that all the bracelets look exactly the same. Handmade pieces take longer to produce and have small flaws in each piece so that no two look exactly the same. It's simply a matter of personal choice.
