6.5" Alvin Monte Navajo sterling/14k cuff bracelet, no issues.
Navajo jewelry artist Alvin Monte works in both gold and silver, often making his own stamping tools to create one-of-a-kind designs. Born in Socorro, Monte grew up in Canoncito, New Mexico. Both his parents were well-known silversmiths but Monte didn’t pick up the trade until he moved away from home. He is a self-taught silversmith. His inspirations often come from petroglyphs or pueblo designs although the execution of his designs is more symbolic than realistic. The result is a more modern verses traditional design that he likes to embellish with various stones including amethysts and garnets for a lustrous effect. Monte is now teaching his young son, who at age nine shows a talent for silver-smithing, thus elevating another generation of the Montes into the artist world.
All precious metals are tested and guaranteed. A Native American jewelry piece referred to as "silver" or "ingot" is guaranteed to be at least 90% silver. I rarely use the word "sterling" when referring to older Native American silver or really any older silver jewelry as silver contents vary and "sterling" is 92.5% silver. No older jewelry is going to be exactly 92.5% silver, some a little over, some a little under. It wasn't an exact thing with handmade jewelry. I've seen thousands of pieces xrf'd to prove this. Bracelets are photographed on a 6" women's wrist.
