Distinctive Features Of Philander Begay Jewelry

Growing up in a family of jewelers, Philander Begay was exposed to beautiful Native American jewelry at a very young age. He followed in his family’s footsteps and began creating his own pieces and eventually built a name for himself. Philander grew up in Arizona near Hotevilla's Hopi village in Tuba City. His family is known for creating jewelry using techniques that have helped define the standards in contemporary Native American jewelry. Philander is  a brother of Darryl Dean Begay, who likewise served as his teacher and mentor.  Tim, Kenneth, and Bobby Begay served as inspirations to Philander as well as he was developing his unique style. His jewelry creations remain distinctive and easy to identify with their one of a kind details and features. Here are some of the basic features of Philander Begay jewelry:

• Cast work – Philander specializes in cast work, mostly working with high grade tufa, which he sources from the Hopi.
• Molten sterling silver – Some of his works have utilized molten sterling silver that helps create a rustic textured finish. The silver is deeply oxidized and polished, rendering a three-dimensional effect that lets the design ‘pop’ and become lifelike.
• High grade turquoise – Philander uses only the finest and high-grade natural turquoise.
• Depictions of Native American life – He gets many of his ideas from the Hopi culture and often these ideas are reflected in pieces that show Pueblo scenes. He incorporates various Kachina dances he witnessed into his jewelry, too.
• Native American icons and meaningful symbols – Many of Philander Begay's belt buckles, bolo ties, and bracelets feature distinctive icons that define Native American culture and lifestyle. His rare high grade Morenci turquoise horse design tufa cast belt buckle is a good example of this. It features a running horse with a mountain backdrop against a deep blue western sky.
• Certificate of authenticity – Genuine Philander Begay jewelry comes with a certificate of authenticity, which assures collectors that it was made by him, tribal affiliation, the value of the item, and the materials the artist used.