Turquoise Time

turquoise, coral, and sterling silver Native American watch band on a Casio watch

There's something about turquoise jewelry, perhaps in the convoluted notion of pan-Americana, that makes it meld well with classic, preppy, if you may, American sportswear pieces. I had spotted one of these stone-set watches, in fleeting and from afar, on a handsome older man outside a burger joint close to where I live. I thought to myself, who would have the patience (and the genius) to set a twenty-dollar Casio watch with turquoise and coral? Apparently, these beauties are handcrafted by native Americans and sold as watch bracelets, as explained to me by the lovely lady who owned the shop in Old Town San Diego where I bought it from.

The dark sterling against the brash cheap steel, the turquoise and red coral against the blue and red print, the handcrafted against the digital---aah, this will be tattooed on my wrist for quite some time.