Collection: Philander Begay

Philander Begay is a Navajo silversmith with twenty years of experience, and his work is rooted in the symbols that run deep through Navajo culture: Spider Woman, dragonflies, waterbirds, horned toads. These aren't decorative choices. Each carries meaning that stretches back generations, and Philander builds his pieces around them with the kind of care that comes from knowing what they represent.

His technique is tufa casting, one of the oldest methods in Navajo silversmithing. A design is carved into volcanic stone, silver is poured in, and the mold holds the pattern. No two pieces come out identical because no two molds are used twice. The process is slow by nature, and the results carry a texture and presence that machine-made jewelry cannot replicate. That combination of ancient method and his own design sensibility has earned him recognition and awards throughout his career.

Each piece in this collection is one of a kind.