Stunning vintage Native American handmade tufa sand casted sterling turquoise ri

Absolutely stunning ring! Stunning Native American design tufa casted. Sand casted pieces are all rare because once it is castrd the mold crumbles and can't be used again. Once the design has been sketched or conceptualized, the basic process is as follows: The design is carved into the stone. This requires a delicate hand, especially for intricate designs. The tufa stone is carbonized, or covered with a fine layer of ash The two sides of the mold are bound together The silver is melted in a crucible using a torch until it is molten and glowing The molten silver is poured into the mold to cool and harden Once the silver has hardened, it is taken out of the mold and filed and sanded to get rid of any unwanted burrs, sand or extra pieces The final product is polished About a size 8.5...see measurements. Has some patina from age. Utterly fabulous!!! Unisex (men's pinky ring). No stamps, typical of older NA pieces. Tested and guaranteed sterling silver.