Quaid Shorty Navajo Coin Silver and Morenci Turquoise Narrow Cuff Bracelet 2025

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A very beautifully-crafted Navajo “Coin-silver” and Morenci, AZ turquoise narrow cuff bracelet by Quaid Shorty, 2025

This exceptionally beautiful and finely hand-crafted bracelet by young Quaid Shorty is old-style Navajo silver goodness all the way. Quaid Shorty (b.1999) is a rapidly rising up and coming star of contemporary Navajo silversmithing, the highly-talented son of renowned master Navajo silversmith, Perry Shorty (b.1965). This uniquely designed and finely-made bracelet is a completely and painstakingly hand-crafted modern-day “revival” of an 1890’s-1900 Classic-Period Navajo silver and turquoise narrow cuff style bracelet right down to using the exact century-old traditional Navajo silversmithing materials and methods.

The use of “Coin-silver” is a distinctly old-style Navajo silversmithing tradition which was basically revived by Quaid’s Father, Perry Shorty in the 1990’s. The earliest Navajo silver jewelry was made from old American and/or Mexican silver coins which were melted down and cast into into ingot-silver “slugs" from which the jewelry was then formed or in very rare cases, a jewelry piece was made directly from a hammered-out coin or coins. Quaid, like his father Perry, uses historic turn-of-the-century American “Barber” type coins, halves, quarters and dimes to make his “Coin-Silver” pieces as seen above. He melts them down and in the time honored manner casts the molten silver into an ingot silver “slug”. When he is ready to start shaping the bracelet he heats the slug to red hot and begins the painstaking process of hammering, reheating, hammering again until he gets the desired size and shape of the bracelet’s shank.

When the bracelet shank is the right size and shape, the meticulous detailed work of applying the decorative elements of repoussee chisel, file and stampwork begins. Here, there are two large lozenge-shaped deeply repousseed panels, one on either side of the bracelet’s center which are finely decorated all the way around with stamp and chisel work and the top and bottom edges of the bracelet’s silver shank are very nicely decorated all around with a fine pattern of repeating stampwork designs. The bracelet’s very center is left open to highlight the gorgeous high-grade intense blue oval-shaped Morenci, Arizona turquoise stone.

And now a few words about this particular stone and its particularly fine and unique personal provenance. Morenci, Arizona turquoise from the Morenci mine near Safford in Southern Arizona is considered one of the world's finest turquoise varieties and highly prized by collectors around the world for its intense deep penetrating, almost glowing blue color. This particular and unusually clear high-grade stone was acquired by Quaid Shorty from his maternal Grandfather, the renowned late Arizona and New Mexico Indian Trader, Bill Malone, who likely acquired it from his trading colleague, William “Lucky” Brown whose Brown trading family of Safford, Arizona held the Morenci turquoise mining lease for years so even the stone here has a distinguished lineage. Fittingly, the stone is most beautifully set in an old-style “foldover” type silver bezel in the very center of the bracelet. and as can be easily and clearly seen, the end result of all the difficult and dedicated effort that went into making this bracelet is harmonic, rich and immensely satisfying to contemplate.

Morenci Turquoise

Morenci turquoise was mined in Greenlee County in southeastern Arizona. This turquoise is highly sought after for its blue colors and iron pyrite, or “fools gold,” matrix. From 1956 to 1984, the turquoise rights were granted to William “Lucky” Brown. Lucky retired in 1982 and his sons continued to mine the turquoise until the lease ended. The Browns still have quite a stash of rough stone, enough to release a small amount every year to keep it available. Morenci is highly valued and difficult to obtain.

-Morenci turquoise text and photo source and © Waddell Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ

The Morenci Copper/Turquoise mine outside of Safford, Arizona.

Photo source and © Wikipedia

The bracelet measures 7/8" in width at its widest center point and tapers down to 3/8" in width at the terminal ends. The inner circumference end-to-end is 5 3/4" and the gap between the terminals is 1" for a total interior circumference of 6 3/4". The bracelet weighs a very nice feeling 57 grams or 2 ounces and it is extremely comfortable and easily wearable on the wrist. The bracelet is signed with Quaid Shorty’s most recent iteration of his signature, the capital letter initials “QES” which he just started using in 2025 and it is also marked “Coin-Silver” on the interior.

The bracelet is in new, unworn condition and was acquired by us recently directly from Quaid Shorty.

There are a few original tooling marks visible here and there on the silver, another indication of its handmade originality. And, although just very recently made in 2025, for all intents and purposes the bracelet looks

as if it might actually have been made a century earlier in 1925. It’s got all that great old authentic look and feel precisely because it’s made from the exact same materials using the exact same techniques and basic design sensibilities as the 1925 model. You could say it’s a bit like modern day time travel. The bracelet has already begun to develop the soft glowing patina that ingot coin-silver takes on over time and it will continue to do so.

This bracelet is a beautiful, extremely distinctive-looking and easy to wear piece from the inspired mind and skilled hands of one of the finest young Native American artists working today. This beautifully hand-crafted bracelet would be a most worthy addition to any collection, anywhere and a true joy to wear! This one could easily become your “go-to” wear it anytime (or all the time) piece.

SOLD