描述
6.25" Wayne & Virginia Quam Zuni 14k/Sterling turquoise row cuff bracelet. Amazing cuff bracelet circa 80‘s-90‘s in like new condition. Weight and measurements in pics. There is more gold in the cuff bracelet than sterling. The thick bezels are solid 14k gold, the top half of the bracelet is solid 14k gold (tested). I don‘t think the silver layer at the bottom was necessarily added to be more cost effective, I think it was for the benefits of wearing silver jewelry. No issues, tested and guaranteed solid 14k on solid sterling with a clear divider in the center indicating more gold than silver was used in this bracelet.
Wayne (1942-2006) and his wife Virginia (1940- ) were born in Zuni, NM and started making jewelry in the 1960‘s. He learned from his mother, Alice Quam. They were/are award winning smiths and lapidarists and their jewelry is highly collectible. Both he and she are referenced in Schaaf‘s "American Indian Jewelry I and III", Hougart‘s "Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks", Wright‘s "Hallmarks of the Southwest" and Bassman‘s "Zuni Jewelry".
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.
