David Tune is an award-winning Creek, Navajo, Hopi jeweler. He inlaid this ring with natural red coral, fossilized walrus ivory, sugilite, and Sleeping Beauty turquoise. The setting has detailed cut-outs all around the edge, and the band is tufa cast (see below).
Size: 7.5, can be adjusted half a size up or down. Setting is 1' H x 0.4375 W
Tufa Jewelry: Tufa is a volcanic stone which can be as dense as chalk which has an organic texture. The first thing a jeweler does is examine a piece of tufa for any tiny fractures. If it looks good, the tufa is cut in half and, if there is a design, it is carved into the tufa. There is a pour hole carved into the top and several narrow vents carved into each side. The two pieces are then bound together tightly and molten silver or gold is poured through the hole at the top. If there are any microscopic cracks, the tufa explodes when the metal is poured in and the process has to begin again.
