Native American Bracelet Guide

Native Americans have long worn bracelets both for personal adornment and as expressions of status and tribal affiliations. Styles of Native American bracelets can vary widely depending upon many factors, including geography, tradition, available materials, and personal taste. Regardless of origin and style, the Native American bracelet represents history, artistry, and heritage. Along with pendants, beads, and earrings, bracelets were one of the most common items made by the earliest Native Americans. Local materials usually determined the composition of the bracelets, with most being fabricated from animal parts, minerals, or plants. West coast Native Americans used marine shells in their jewelry making, some materials having been dated as early as 6000 B.C. With the arrival of explorers and immigrants to the New World, Native American bracelet designs began expanding as they incorporated the newcomers’ materials, including glass and metal.

The Native American Cuff Bracelet

The simple “C” structure of the Native American cuff bracelet is the most popular style of bracelet and probably the most widely recognized. Some are open, slipping easily off and on the wrist with a twist, while others have clasps that keep them closed and secure. Made from a wide variety of materials, the most well known today are those made from metal, particularly silver worked by the Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni Pueblo. Many styles are inlaid with stone, both rough and finished cut, or are simply stamped or etched with intricate designs. Some are executed in both fashions. Today’s most popular Native American bracelets, made mostly from indigenous tribes of the Southwest, includes a variety of different semi-precious gems, including turquoise, onyx, garnet, malachite, and lapis.

The Native American Link Bracelet

The Native American link bracelet is just what it sounds like: a series of links, connecting various or identical individual charms or pieces that create a loop around the wrist when worn. Typically, they close with a clasp.

The Native American Weave Bracelet

The Native American weave bracelet gets its design inspiration from the techniques used by Native American Indians in their basket weaving. Several ropes or threads, typically of fine silver, are woven together, often with a semi-precious stone at their connecting point, and are looped around the wrist to a clasp point.

The Native American Concho Bracelet

The Native American concho bracelet, nearly identical to the Native American weave bracelet, once again gets its design inspiration from the techniques used by Native Americans in the creation of the concho. The concho is a belt, typically worn around the waist, but can also be used on saddles. Its design is based upon the connection of a series of metal shells (with and without gems), each stamped or etched with various Native American Indian motifs. It is often worn for ceremonial purposes. The concho bracelet is a miniature version, of sorts, of the larger concho belt.

In our blog section of our website we are going to start highlighting news, events and pictures that would appeal to the Native American jewelry enthusiast. Our first picture here is of a gorgeous Native American turquoise cuff bracelet with delicate needle point craftsmanship for the embedded turquoise (source: LagunaJournal.com).  The cuff bracelet is a very traditional and widespread style of Native American jewelry, very often incorporating turquoise, and the detailed craftsmanship of this particular piece is a great example of the workmanship of Native American jewelry artisans.