Tufa Cast Stamped Cuff with Red Coral by Eugene S. Mitchell

A striking example of traditional Diné silverwork, this Tufa Cast Stamped Cuff with Red Coral was crafted by Navajo silversmith Eugene S. Mitchell. The substantial sterling silver cuff features an openwork design of sweeping scrolls and curved forms, accented with hand-stamped feather- or leaf-like motifs along the central band and outer edges. At its center, a richly colored red coral cabochon is framed by twisted wire and a serrated bezel, giving the warm red stone a strong contrast against the oxidized silver.

Mitchell is a highly regarded Diné silversmith known especially for his cast work. Born in 1947, he began learning the craft as a young child, helping his paternal uncle John Joe at the forge. His work draws on traditional Navajo silversmithing, and he is particularly recognized for sandcast and tufa-cast jewelry, often incorporating carefully selected stones and distinctive stamped designs.

Tufa casting is a labor-intensive casting method in which the artist carves a design into a block of porous tufa stone, then pours molten silver into the carved mold. The stone's natural texture is transferred to the silver, giving cast pieces their characteristic organic surface. Because tufa is fragile and the mold is often damaged or broken during casting, the process produces jewelry with an individual character that cannot be replicated through mass production.

Coral has a long history in Southwestern Native American jewelry and became an especially valued material in Navajo, Zuni, and Pueblo jewelry traditions. Its saturated red color provides a dramatic counterpart to turquoise and silver, while some Native traditions associate coral with protection.

• Artist: Eugene S. Mitchell (Diné/Navajo)
• Material: Sterling silver
• Stone: Red coral
• 2 3/8" wide, 1 1/2" high, 1 3/8" opening
• Technique: Tufa casting and hand stamping
• Hallmark: E.S. Mitchell / Sterling