Orange Spiny Oyster 85-Carat Cuff with Rope Bezel and Starburst Stampwork by Michael Calditto, Navajo

Michael Calditto, a Navajo silversmith, centered this cuff on an 85-carat orange spiny oyster cabochon in a deep rope bezel, flanked by hand-fabricated silver raindrops and starburst stampwork. Spiny oyster (Spondylus) shell has been traded across the American Southwest for over a thousand years and is one of the most historically significant organic materials in Native American jewelry — orange spiny oyster in particular was valued by Ancestral Pueblo peoples centuries before European contact. At 85 carats, the stone is of exceptional size for a cuff centerpiece. Available exclusively through Turquoise Mustang.