Orange Spiny Oyster Tufa Cast Cuff by Chimney Butte, Navajo

Chimney Butte, a Navajo silversmithing studio, produced this cuff using the tufa cast technique — carving a florissant-inspired design into volcanic tufa stone, pouring molten silver into the mold — then setting an oval orange spiny oyster stone as the focal point. Spiny oyster (Spondylus) shell is one of the most historically traded organic materials in the ancient American Southwest. The tufa casting process leaves a distinctive organic surface texture that cannot be replicated with modern investment casting. Available exclusively through Turquoise Mustang.