Bracelets and Cuffs
The smaller, single bracelets are worn under the wrist bone, closer to your hand in comparison to the larger cuffs. Cuffs are typically worn across the wrist bone, making them larger and sturdier in order to stay in place.
The turquoise seen in the bracelets and cuffs above is symbolic of the Southwestern Native American’s and their use in all customs of life-- jewelry, clothing, and accessories. This stone, referred to as the “Skystone.” “Legend has it that the People danced and rejoiced when the rains came. Their tears of joy mixed with the rain and seeped into Mother Earth to become the SkyStone – Turquoise” (Sanchez, San Felipe Pueblo). This turquoise used in this jewelry is most likely from the oldest source located in the Southwest, The Cerrillos Mines on Turquoise Mountain in New Mexico. Because of the access and amount of turquoise available to the tribes in the Southwest, these associations include it in many of their pieces, signifying relative wealth and societal power.
Branson, Oscar T. Turquoise, the Gem of the Centuries. Treasure Chest Publications, 1976. Print.