These are the Turk's Head bracelets, all of which are continuous bands, and thus have to be worn loose, as bangles, or else formed down to a close fit and worn on a long term basis, sort of like a slave-bracelet. (But much more attractive!) As a concession to those who would like the close-fitting look of the latter, but are not happy with wearing one on a semi-permanent basis, I have developed two other knotted bracelets, based on single- and double-strand Lanyard Knots. The Prolong Knot is an example of the latter. I don't care for even numbers of leads so I developed some bracelets and choker necklaces based on Sinnet Knots, with either five or seven leads.
(If you've reached this page while looking for information about my workshops, please click this link.)
|
|
This bracelet is tied in pure silver and twisted 18K yellow gold, a five-lead twenty-nine-bight knot. The silver makes a very dramatic contrast with the gold, of course, but it is much softer. For someone who wishes to wear their bracelet compressed to a "watchband fit", this would be a much better choice, as it can be compressed and expanded more easily, and probably many more times, than an identical piece made with 18K gold alone, such as the one just below.
It is also possible to form this knot snugly around the wrist, like a wristwatch band, though you would have to be willing to wear it for extended periods.
|
This bracelet, identical to the one above except in choice of materials, is tied in a style that I've found very beautiful in rings, solid yellow gold doubled strand, with a twisted white gold center strand. This particular bracelet is 2.5 inches in diameter, though it can stretch just a little larger.
|
|
|
Here's a very pretty, very complex piece, a seven-lead twenty-nine-bight bracelet, made with 24 grams of 1mm 18K yellow gold. Shown here, the diameter is something like two inches or so, but I designed it to expand to as much as three inches if necessary. I guess you could call this the "conspicuous consumption" model. For someone who intends to compress it down to fit snugly on a wrist, I would probably recommend use of 22K or even 24K, to permit easier adjustment. This particular bracelet has been on my wrist since around Memorial day of 1999, though I did take it off and put it back on in the space of about three or four hours a couple of years ago.
|
This is the same knot as above, but tied in three-strand twist instead of solid wire. It is much easier to slip on and off, since it is very "stretchy" and springy. In fact, a friend dropped it while looking at it and caught it on the first bounce, as it came back up again nearly to waist height.
As of 10-30-99 this item is missing. I lost it in Lakeview Park in St. Petersburg Florida, at about 5PM as I was packing up to leave the "Circus McGurkis", a local event. I am offering a reward for its return. Since it is the only such item in existence at this time, anything that looks like this is certain to be the one that I lost.
|
|
|
This was the most ambitious of my knots, in 1999, a 5-lead 37-bight knot made with fine silver and 18K yellow gold, formed into a three-inch bangle. I had to invent some new tooling to allow me to finish off the work, as my other tools are designed for working with rings.
|
|
|