I created this Argentium sterling silver cuff bracelet to feature this beautiful cabachon turquoise stone. The stone was mined in the Hachita mountains of southern New Mexico and was cut by my friend, Andy Brown, who lives in Cerrillos, New Mexico. I devised a setting that I call a "peninsula mount" that allows the bracelet to be adjusted easily to fit most wrists.
I forged this hammered cuff bracelet from a piece of 20 gauge 1-1/4" x 6" sterling sheet with a technique called anticlastic sinusoidal forming. Looking at it, you can see every hammer stroke!
I am enjoying combining the smooth wide half-round sterling with smooth wire for a sleek effect. Cuff bracelets usually have the opening under the wrist, but this one will be worn with it on top. This one sold, but I can make another similar one!!
I bought this turquoise cabachon from Andy Brown in Cerrillos, N.M. this past June. He mined it in local mountains and cut and polished it. The ground in this part of New Mexico contains lots of copper and iron, which then dissolves in groundwater and stains the turquoise a wonderful pale blue and green. The challenge for me is to design a piece of jewelry that will show off the natural beauty of the stone.
I designed this cuff bracelet to feature a "ribbon-cut" piece of turquoise from the Hachita area of southern New Mexico. The vein of turquoise that runs across the rhyolite matrix stone is pale blue on the ends and dark green in the center, which Native Americans say represents Mother Earth and Father Sky. I photographed it sitting on a piece of unpolished rough rhyolite which has a vein of green turquoise running through it on the right end.
This is a photo of the Alaskan shoreline with receeding rows of mountains, that I took on a trip through Alaska's Inland Passage. The memory of this experience inspired these 2 bracelets. The one on the left side is wider & is made from 8 ga. Argentium sterling silver wire. It costs $225. The other is narrower and made from 12 ga Argentium sterling silver wire and is about a third lighter in weight and costs $175. Both are "cuff"style & can be adjusted to fit any wrist.
I designed this bracelet to feature this beautiful Cobra jasper cabachon from India. The chain bracelet flexes comfortably with your arm, as well as following the multiple circles found on the stone.
This sterling silver cuff bracelet was formed from multiple pieces of Argentium Sterling which I fused together. It's irregular and organic edges measure approximately 1-1/2" across and it weighs almost 3 ounces. It was bought recently, but I can make a similar one for you!
I bought this richly colored turquoise cabachon on a recent trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico. I designed the bracelet to fit to your arm with the stone draping down over the hand. The bracelet is made in my "braided stream" style to mimic the arroyos seen in the American Southwest. Argentium Sterling Silver is a new sterling alloy which is more resistant to tarnish, so this bracelet will stay bright and shiny for many years with little polishing needed. The stone measures approximately 19mm x 28mm.
The rich iridescent blue of this labradorite cabachon is complemented by the sweeping silver of the bracelet. As the bracelet moves in the sunlight, the stone flashes like the wings of a tropical butterfly.
I bought this piece of septarian in southern Utah in 2011 and finally decided how to best use it. Septarian is a stone that was formed millions of years ago when Utah was part of the Gulf of Mexico. It is a combination of calcite crystals and silt that was compressed into stone at the bottom of the ocean. As the continent rose due to plate tectonics, the stone was revealed in the dry landscape in Utah.
I bought this piece of Variscite in a gem store in Sedona, Arizona in 2011. Varicite is an aluminum phosphate mineral sometimes identified with turquoise. The links of this freeform bracelet flex freely, making it comfortable to wear.
This pair of matched "Tiger" agates inspired this striking new cuff bracelet. It is fashioned from 6mm half round sterling silver solid wire and the stones are securely attached by bezel mounts, that I made individually.
I created this hammered cuff and decided to fuse the edges for an unusual appearance. Argentium Sterling is more resistant to tarnish. This bracelet measures approximately 1-1/2" in width and 6" in length.
This linked bracelet is made from solid sterling square wire which is hammered and brightly polished. When worn on the wrist, it looks like a solid bangle bracelet, but it has a concealed catch to make it easy to put on. This design was inspired by my men's V-link bracelet, which was originally inspired 35 years ago by flying geese.
This cuff bracelet is crafted from multiple pieces of half-round sterling silver wire. It was inspired by the handmade iron gates and railings that are seen on the fine old homes in Charleston, SC. I can custom make another one for you!
The idea for this cuff bracelet came to me while flying across the country and looking down at the passing landscapes below me. When rivers reach flat land, they tend to meander around and are known as "braided" streams. I made this bracelet with four strands of silver which cross back and forth over each other at irregular intervals.
This beautiful Petersite stone has interesting swirling grain that flashes various shades of blue and brown as it moves. I decided that the bracelet required a design with ample visual movement. It is a cuff that fits comfortably around the arm and can be adjusted to fit your arm.
This sterling silver cuff measures up to 1-1/2" wide. It was inspired by the lines of a topographical map.
I bought this turquoise nugget cabachon in Sedona, Arizona in May 2011 and set it in an innovative cuff with engraved detail on one side and a sweeping arm on the other.
I was playing around with some Celtic inspired designs when I came up with this idea. I reminds me of a "braided stream" of water, a characteristic of lowland streams and rivers that wander around looking for a path to the coast. Fly over the lower Mississippi River area sometime & you will see them everywhere. Each overlapping joint is soldered for strength and durability.
This solid sterling silver bracelet weighs just over 2 troy ounces and is tough enough to last you for the rest of your life. I gave it a hammered texture to conceal surface scratches and a solid ball of silver on each end for comfort. It looks good when worn with the opening on top or underneath.
This beautiful chrysocolla features a blend of turquoise green, azure blue and burnt umber colors. It appeals to the oil painter in me. I made it with my "floating stone" design so the bracelet is more flexible when being put on. This will eliminate the stress fracture problem that many cuff bracelets with mounted stones develop over years of wear. This stone is just over 1-1/4" in length.
Psilomelane is an intriguing natural stone that is a composite of 2 minerals, romanechite and pyrolusite. They are extruded from volcanically active sites in deep ocean waters. Millions of years later, the action of plate tectonics bring them to the surface for us to discover. I found this stone at a gem show this Spring and had to buy it! I designed this bracelet in a rectangular style that contrasts nicely with the whorls in the stone.
This colorful sparkling stone originates in the Ural Mountains of Russia. The stone features a blend of black, silver and rosy pink mineral and measures just under 1"x 1-1/2". The bracelet wraps gracefully around the arm in a comfortable manner.
This teething ring is constructed from a 7" piece of solid 6 ga. sterling silver wire. Each letter of the baby's name is stamped 5 times around each ring, so the name is visible as the rings move. There is an extra ring that is stamped with my "Dan Dye" maker's mark and "sterling" stamps.
I made the first of these teething rings in 2006 for my first grand-daughter, Isabel. She enjoyed chewing on it, as well as shaking it and banging it on the table. It started out smooth and shiny, but she quickly added teeth marks and "patina" to make it all her own. This one is for our newest grand-daughter, Eleanor, and she has just begun her junior silversmith work to put her own marks on it. These heirloom pieces can be used as Christmas ornaments, by adding a bit of ribbon, and will last a lifetime.
This beautiful 20x35mm stone features a mixture of blue and green colors that contrast nicely with the polished sterling silver bands. I made the bracelet to curve gracefully around the wrist. The stone is mounted at an angle and connects to the bracelet by a single stem. This adds flexibility when putting on the piece and will give it a lifetime of comfortable wear.
This large turquoise measures 30x40mm and is held securely it's polished bezel. The bracelet curves gracefully around the wrist and is mounted to the point of the triangular stone. This enables the bracelet to be easily adjusted to fit the arm comfortably.
I was working on a modification of my "pop-top" bracelet when I thought of this variation. The added circular piece adds a bit of weight without making it excessively heavy. Can be worn by men or women.
This striking cuff bracelet incorporates 2 18mm square lapis stones at each end.
This bracelet was inspired by the common fences in the West. This one is made from 12 gauge Sterling wire. I can also custom make it in heavier wire for a more sturdy look - priced upon request. Available by custom order.
Reminiscent of chains that I made as a teenager from canned drink pop-top pull tabs. There is one link with a slightly longer "tail" that acts as the catch without being so obvious.
This bracelet has the asymmetrical heart shape that I have made for years as earrings. There is one link with a longer "tail" that acts as the catch while blending with the other links.
I have had this chain idea in my mind for several years and finally found the time to create it. It is constructed from 12 gauge sterling silver wire. It is an interesting design in which each link bypasses the adjoining link to connect by a loop to the third link. It is not rigid, but rather somewhat flexible.
This bracelet is sold, but is a good example of a design combining the shape of a stone with the sculptural lines of the piece.
This unusual silver cuff bracelet features a beautiful Azurite/Turquoise stone. The bracelet curves gracefully to complement the curving sides of the triangular stone. I roll-printed the backing silver of the stone with lace texture.
This is the lighter version in 12 ga. silver. It also has the "camouflaged" catch.
I make this design with heavier 10 ga. silver wire. One of the curling joints is left unsoldered so the wearer can get it on & off. When in place, the catch looks like all the other joints. I have always liked catches that are part of the design.
This "open" bangle has a smooth mirror finish that really catches the light. I can craft one for you in a variety of gauges of sterling wire, which will determine the cost.
I made this bracelet with three hammered and curving pieces which seem to "dance" around the arm. There is one unsoldered intersection to enable the wearer to put it on & adjust the fit.
This heavy square fits most men and has a hammered texture that I accomplished with a "cross pein" hammer.
Custom made from 8ga and 12ga sterling wire. Also available for ladies in a smaller version. This is an original design that I devised in 1974 while watching Canada geese in flight formation.
