6.75" Richard and Rita Begay Navajo sterling Kachina overlay cuff bracelet
Richard S. and Rita Begay are both Diné. Richard started making traditional and contemporary gold, silver mosaic inlay, overlay jewelry in 1974. Richard is also a painter and a recording artist.
It is unclear when Rita Begay started making her silver jewelry. Her first publication was in 1985, and is the same time they had a booth at Indian market in Santa Fe. They use the same stamp RB.
All precious metals are tested and guaranteed. A Native American jewelry piece referred to as "silver" or "ingot" is guaranteed to be at least 90% silver. I rarely use the word "sterling" when referring to older Native American silver or really any older silver jewelry as silver contents vary and "sterling" is 92.5% silver. No older jewelry is going to be exactly 92.5% silver, some a little over, some a little under. It wasn't an exact thing with handmade jewelry. I've seen thousands of pieces xrf'd to prove this. Bracelets are photographed on a 6" women's wrist.
