Harrison Bitsui - Navajo Sandcast Sterling Silver
Morenci Turquoise Bracelet
HK Item #BP371

Harrison Bitsui - Navajo Sandcast Sterling Silver Morenci Turquoise Bracelet BP371 - $290 plus s/h (ONLY ONE AVAILABLE)

Paula says -"The open design of this bracelet makes it cool and comfortable to wear."

How to Choose and Fit a Cuff Bracelet

Questions or more details.

What does Sand Cast mean?

Sand cast items are Indian Hand Made items using a procedure developed by the Navajo silversmiths in the mid 1800s. It is a labor-intensive process that involves many steps.

Using Tufa Stone, a porous rock from volcanic ash, or Sandstone, a harder stone, the artist carves the design of the item being cast. Another flat stone is placed against the carved half of the mold. The halves are fastened together and a sprue hole is carved into one end. Molten silver is poured into the mold using the sprue hole. Once the silver cools, the item is taken out and finished. Bracelets are poured flat and then shaped.

Due to the porous nature of Tufa or Sand Stone, sandcast items will have character marks and imperfections such as small pits. That is the nature of Sand Casting and Indian Hand Made.

About Morenci Turquoise

Morenci turquoise is from the Morenci Copper Mine in southeastern Arizona, the largest copper mine in the United States. The most valued stones range from light blue to bright blue. Some stones have an irregular matrix of quartz and pyrite (fool's gold), which resembles silver when polished. Other stones have a brown matrix called "Morenci red matrix". Because of its scarcity and beautiful colors Morenci Turquoise is highly prized.