Big Bend Dark Sky Bracelets — Hammered Sterling Silver & Copper

What these are

Hand-hammered cuffs in sterling silver and copper, struck with a relief of half moons, stars and diamonds. They are made on a small ranch outside Big Bend National Park in West Texas, under one of the darkest night skies left in the lower forty-eight, which is where the pattern and the name come from. Every cuff is worked by hand, so the hammer marks fall differently on each one and no two faces are identical.

The maker

These come from a single metalsmith working at bench scale in West Texas, not a production line. We buy what gets made, in the quantities it gets made in, which is why the run is limited and why sizes and finishes come and go. It is the same arrangement we have with the other makers in the Artisan Collection: small batches, named hands, no restocking on demand.

Materials and fit

• Sterling silver — roughly 0.9 oz, bright finish
• Copper — roughly 0.9 oz, warm natural patina
• Large copper — a little over an ounce, same face, longer span

These are open cuffs rather than closed bangles, so they pass over the narrowest part of the wrist and sit where you leave them. The design is unisex and reads equally well on a small wrist or a large one — take the large copper if you normally find cuffs sit tight.

Living with copper

Copper is not sealed and it is not meant to be. It arrives bright and darkens over months into a deeper brown, faster on skin that runs warm. If you like the aged look, leave it alone. If you want the original color back, a cut lemon and a pinch of salt will take it off in about a minute — rinse and dry it afterwards. Sterling silver is the low-maintenance option of the two and needs only an occasional polishing cloth.

Copper against skin sometimes leaves a green mark. It is a harmless reaction between the metal, moisture and the oils on your skin, it washes off with soap, and it is more likely in heat or humidity. A thin coat of clear lacquer on the inside of the cuff prevents it if it bothers you.

You might also like

• Handcrafted silver arrowhead — from the same West Texas bench
• Sterling silver earrings
• Sonoita Leather Company — upcycled cowboy boot pieces, made in Arizona
• The full Artisan Collection

Questions

Are these bracelets adjustable?

They are open cuffs, so there is some give at the opening, but they are not designed to be opened and closed repeatedly. Choose the size that fits and leave the shape alone — repeated bending work-hardens the metal and will eventually crack it.

Will the copper turn my wrist green?

Sometimes, yes. It is a harmless surface reaction with moisture and skin oils, not a sign of poor quality or plating, and it washes off. Clear lacquer on the inside of the cuff will stop it.

Do copper bracelets have health benefits?

We make no health claims for them. These are sold as jewelry.

Is the silver solid sterling?

Yes — solid sterling silver, not plated.

Are two cuffs ever identical?

No. The hammering is done by hand, so the texture and the placement of the moons and stars vary from piece to piece. The one you receive will not match the photographs exactly.

Where are they made?

On a ranch outside Big Bend National Park, West Texas.