Alvin Yellowhorse Tufa Cast Sterling Silver Bracelet – Red Coral, Turquoise, Mother of Pearl, Sugilite, Spider Opal
$6,449.00
Details
• Artist: Alvin Yellowhorse (signed)
• Origin: Lupton, Arizona (Navajo Nation)
• Material: Sterling Silver
• Stone: High-grade Red Coral
• Inlay: Mother of Pearl, Turquoise, Sugilite, Spider Opal
• Technique: Tufa cast + hand fabricated
• Weight: 150 grams
• Inner Circumference: 5 1/8”
• Gap: 1”
• Total Fit: ~6 1/8”
• Bracelet Width: 1.3”
• Coral Height: 1.5”
This is one of those pieces that stops you mid-scroll.
A true bracelet-on-bracelet design by Navajo master silversmith Alvin Yellowhorse, combining deep-rooted tradition with a level of innovation that has made his work internationally recognized.
Alvin Yellowhorse is a Navajo Nation artist from Lupton, Arizona, working along the Arizona–New Mexico border. He comes from a long lineage of silversmiths, learning the craft from his father, Frank Yellowhorse, and carrying forward generations of Navajo metalwork tradition. Since the late 1980s, Alvin has built a reputation for pushing beyond traditional forms blending tufa casting, hand fabrication, and intricate stone inlay into a style that is instantly recognizable.
His work draws from Navajo cultural philosophy as well as Anasazi, Hopi, and Zuni influences, creating pieces that are not just decorative, but symbolic which often tell stories about balance, nature, and the universe.
At the center of this cuff sits a massive, high-grade red coral stone which is bold, dimensional, and full of life. In this design, it represents Mother Earth, grounding the entire piece with warmth and presence. It’s set in a fully hand-cut, hand-filed bezel, with each channel individually shaped, a process that reflects Alvin’s commitment to traditional craftsmanship at the highest level.
Flowing across the cuff is his iconic “Father Sky” inlay band — a celestial narrative rendered in stone:
• Crescent moon in mother of pearl
• Stars in mother of pearl and turquoise
• Constellation dots, each bordered in sterling silver and individually inlaid
• Accents of red coral, turquoise, and sugilite
• A striking shooting star in spider opal (lab opal, chosen for its precision and clarity)
This cosmic band represents Father Sky, contrasting and balancing the coral’s grounding “Mother Earth” energy, a theme deeply rooted in Navajo worldview, where harmony between earth and sky is central.
The construction itself is what makes this piece exceptional.
This is a bracelet-on-bracelet design:
• The base is tufa cast sterling silver, giving it that organic, raw, almost ancient texture
• The upper inlay bracelet is completely hand fabricated, layered on top
Every surface is alive with detail:
• Hand-carved textures
• Flowing wave patterns and linear engravings
• Thick, heavy silver with a sculptural feel
At 150 grams, this is not just jewelry, it’s a statement, a collectible, and a piece of wearable art.
Why This Piece Matters
Alvin Yellowhorse’s work is collected by serious Native American jewelry enthusiasts because of his ability to:
• Preserve traditional Navajo techniques
• Introduce modern, architectural design
• Tell cultural stories through stone and silver
This cuff captures all of that in one piece.