Wilson Begay Native American Sterling Silver Vintage 6 Ribbed Open Cuff

Wilson Begay

Wilson and Carol Begay began their silversmithing in Gallup, New Mexico, in 1969. Their skills came from family traditions that had already been carried for generations. Wilson’s father, Luke, was known for his mastery of sand casting, and it was at his side that Wilson learned how to carve designs into stone and bring them out again in silver. Carol grew up in the same world, guided by her parents, Angela and Allen Chee, who taught her the delicate balance of setting stones with accuracy and care.

Sand casting was always central to their work. The process is demanding, with every design first carved into stone and then filled with molten silver. The result, once cooled and revealed, is never identical from one piece to the next. That subtle irregularity—shaped by hand, not machine—became part of the Begays’ signature. Wilson would handle the casting, coaxing designs from the stone, while Carol would follow with the settings, anchoring each stone in silver. Their partnership gave every bracelet, concho belt, and ring the feeling of something both precise and alive.

Over time, their work grew into more than a livelihood. It was an extension of family and culture, something they wanted to carry forward. They taught their daughters in the same way they had been taught, not only showing the mechanics of tools and metal, but sharing an outlook that treated the craft as part of Navajo identity.

What made their work stand out was that it felt both traditional and personal; each piece that leaves their hands carries that blend of discipline and inheritance. The silver reflects years of practice, the stones the patience of careful setting, echoing the long line of Navajo silversmiths who came before, but unmistakably theirs.