Navajo /Zuni Artisan- ALBERT JAKE - Trillion Cut- Blue Sonoran Gold Turquoise- 925 Vintage Revival Cuff
Navajo /Zuni Artisan- ALBERT JAKE - Trillion Cut- Blue Sonoran Gold Turquoise- 925 Vintage Revival Cuff
ABOUT SONORAN GOLD TURQUOISE:
Since Sonoran Gold turquoise made it's grand entry from Mexico into the USA,it has done nothing but take the USA by storm with it's increasing popularity among southwest jeweler's,as well as buyers that are aching to get their hands on it.This & Kazakhstan/Golden Hills turquoise are THE hottest turquoise that we just can't enough of! Sonoran is unique for it's wide variety of colors that it produces,as well as a wide range of matrix patterns & colors..Very similar to Nevada's Royston mine,it produces both green's & blue's.
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THE CUFF:
Simply said in a skinnier width,Al picked a trillion cut of a pretty blue Sonoran Gold turquoise & if your familiar with our USA turquoise mines,you would swear it's a cut of blue Royston! It resembles it THAT MUCH in color!!! The blue is more like a pastel NM sky blue,that has some depth in color & has little hints of greens.The turquoise sits in one of Al's hand made serrated bezels & glows atop of a oxidized shank that has been tooled in it's entirety & has hand made appliques that sit on the right & left of the stone.
Al recently has changed the gauge he's been working with from a 14 gauge to a hefty 12 gauge sterling & believe it or not,this drop to a heavier gauge, makes a world of difference in strength & weight! If your not sure what 12 gauge means,it means its heavy,it's strong,it's durable & non-bendable!So even though this may not be as wide as many other SW cuffs,it's much stronger & especially for it's size!
Made with traditional Navajo appeal!
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THE FINISHING:
Emulating a look as if aged,the sterling is finished in a oxidized-"Vintage Revival" finishing,where anything in the design that doesn't lay flat,has a lighter oxidation than what's left in the darkened crevices.This finishing gives an amazing contrast to the overall look.
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**IN THE LAST PHOTO IS A CUFF I HAVE LISTED BY AL THAT IS THE SAME EXACT CUFF IN DESIGN & TURQUOISE..THE ONE DIFFERENCE IS THAT THIS STONE IS LAID HORIZONTALLY,THE OTHER IS VERTICALLY LAID.
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THE ARTIST:
Navajo/Zuni artist Al Jake's work demands a higher price than most & it's pretty obvious why.I don't care whether it's his 'more than perfectly made-well executed'cuffs,his rings or pendants,he will always make sure his pieces have the cleanest workmanship & they're 'done right, no matter how long it takes to make the piece..
He is a the epitome of a true artist who knows the "why's",the "what's" & the "how's" of what he's doing & why he's doing it & never do you have to question how long he's has been at it,because you will see it in his work..His trained eye for form & balance can be witnessed throughout anything he makes!
We that know Al,know that he consistently creates some of the finest Navajo jewelry & never fails us when we want to own & wear the best.He is a "Above Average" artist that offers "Above Average" jewelry. All you need to see is that hallmark of his,to know you'll be owning a piece that can be cherished a lifetime,be made with the highest grade stone available & a piece that is made to perfection.
ARTIST:Albert Jake
TRIBE:Navajo/Zuni
STONE: Natural~Blue Sonoran Gold Turquoise
TURQUOISE MEASUREMENT: 16 mm x 12.5 mm (Conversion: 25.5 mm =1")
TURQUOISE CUT:Trillion
INTERIOR MEASUREMENTS: 5-1/2"
GAP MEASUREMENT:7/8"
(For a medium wrist~Total Wrist: 6-3/8"(Just under a 6-1/2")
ADJUSTABLE BY HAND: NO
WEIGHT:2.04 OUNCES -58 Grams
SHANK WIDTH: Between 5/8" & 3/4" Wide
HALLMARK: "A JAKE~Sterling"/Indian Head Penny Icon/HBH
To know that this cuff will fit you, please refer to How To Fit A Cuff in the "about" drop down
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**THIS IS JUST A SMALL EXAMPLE OF WHAT DICTATES PRICING IN JEWELRY AND OR TURQUOISE.**
1st of all, the artists name has a lot to do with how expensive a piece will be..You can have 2 designers making the same thing,the same way,but if one designer has a 'bigger-more recognizable' name,their's will cost more.It all comes down to how many years they've been in the industry,the awards they've won, the demand for their jewelry or say if a well known artist has passed.
People many times wonder,how can you have turquoise from the same mine,that's made by the same artist,it's made the same exact way,but one will be more expensive.The reason is, the cost 'per carat' was either lower or higher, as well as the size of the stones..
Turquoise,like any stone,has low & high grades,with high grades costing more than low grades & whether the turquoise is natural or treated,with natural being more valuable per carat than treated..This will determine then how much the stone will cost..Then you look at what the artist had to pay 'per carat' for that grade of stone,as well as how'many carats' for the quality chose..This also relates with other stones,whether it's coral,spiny oyster,diamonds,rubies,peridot,amethyst,etc.
What also dictates the price is the cost of the metal, the weight of the metal & the time to make the piece! Artists put their time into giving us their incredibly made pieces & their time needs to valued & respected!
This is just a little on how pricing works! And in this business,you pay for what you get!
