Navajo ~DARRYL BECENTI (RIP)- Natural- Royston Turquoise- 925 Vintage Revival Cuff- 6-5/8" Wrist -HEAVY 5 Ounces!
Navajo ~DARRYL BECENTI (RIP)- Natural- Royston Turquoise- 925 Vintage Revival Cuff- 6-5/8" Wrist -HEAVY 5 Ounces!
On April 11th 2020,we lost one of the industry's "high in demand" Navajo artists, that for many years now, I have had the honor & privilege of carrying..Losing Darryl,was a serious blow to the SW jewelry industry & I have to admit that losing him was deeply saddening to me,since like many of us,I was one of his biggest fans!
Since there will be no more jewelry produced,I purchase all the remaining pieces that were available of Darryl's,but the prices went up quite a bit,since a portion of my purchase is being given to his family.I have some more cuffs listed,a few styles of earrings posted ,as well as a large Pilot Mountain turquoise pendant..(Put Darryl's name in the search when your on my front page)
**ALL PRICES ARE FIRM,SINCE I CANNOT REPLACE ANY OF DARRYL'S PIECES THAT I POST**
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ABOUT DARRYL:
Navajo Darryl Becenti was born in '57 & was raised in the Native American Jewelry capitol town of Gallup,NM & was not only a highly skilled jeweler,but a Navajo Sand Painter as well.He was influenced by his brother in laws,David (Sunshine) & Leroy Reeves & was among a group of modern day traditional Gallup area Navajo silversmiths that all well known in the industry when it comes to Navajo jewelry..Their use of working with super heavy gauge sterling that's made with a repousse technique,stamp work or both.Darryl came from an era where using THE highest quality turquoise was important,so you are always guaranteed always having "Natural-Non Treated turquoise in any of his pieces.He wouldn't have dared used some of the turquoise that's being sold out there that can actually be a joke sometimes! Darryl's work is found on a International level & was one of the most sought after artists & even more so now.
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THE CUFF:
Sitting solo atop of this wide shank, is a high domed cut of green Royston turquoise that is surrounded by a decorative embellished floral design.The design is made up of appliques,tiny conchos & beading.The stamping is a piece of art in itself! (see photos 3 & 4) The cuff is nice & wide & definitely will draw attention to the eye.The gauge is thick & hefty,which makes it non-adjustable by hand.(5 ounces!)
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THE FINISHING:
Emulating a look as if aged,the sterling is finished in a oxidized-"Vintage Revival" finishing,where anything in the design that doesn't lay flat,has a lighter oxidation than what's left in the darkened crevices.This finishing gives an amazing contrast to the overall look.
**This cannot be replaced & once Darryl's jewelry is all sold,it will be gone & will go into collector's hands..
SPECIFICS:
ARTIST:Darryl Becenti
TRIBE: Navajo
METAL: Sterling
FINISH: Vintage Revival/Oxidized
WEIGHT: 142.5 Grams~5 Ounces
WIDTH: 2-1/4"
INTERIOR MEASUREMENT: 5-1/2"
GAP MEASUREMENT: 1-1/8"(Non-Adjustable)
Total Wrist circumference:6-5/8"
If unsure if this will fit,read below on "How to Fit a Cuff"
STONE: Natural Green Royston Turquoise
STONE MEASUREMENT:20 mm x 14.8 mm (For Reference: 25.5 mm =1")
TECHNIQUE: Repousse/Stamp-Tooling/Hand Finishing the Sterling/Stone Setting
HALLMARK:D Becenti(Arrow)/Sterling
~THIS WILL GO OUT 'PRIORITY' WITH A SIGNATURE CONFIRMATION~
THERE IS NO TAX APPLIED TO ANY & ALL OUT OF STATE SALES
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**THIS IS JUST A SMALL EXAMPLE OF WHAT DICTATES PRICING IN JEWELRY AND OR TURQUOISE.**
1st of all, the artists name has a lot to do with how expensive a piece will be..You can have 2 designers making the same thing,the same way,but if one designer has a 'bigger-more recognizable' name,their's will cost more.It all comes down to how many years they've been in the industry,the awards they've won, the demand for their jewelry or say if a well known artist has passed,etc..(Darryl's jewelry always comes with a higher price tag!)
Let's say we got a 2 cuffs put side by side or 2 pairs of earrings,people many times ask,how can you have turquoise from the same mine,that's made by the same artist,the design is closely made the same,but one will be more expensive than the other. Another reason is for the stones they used.The reason is the cost 'per carat' was either lower or higher, as well as the size of the stones..(Carat weight)
Turquoise,like any stone,has low & high grades,with high grades costing more than low grades & whether the turquoise is natural or treated,with natural being more valuable per carat than treated..This will determine then how much the stone will cost..Then you look at what the artist had to pay 'per carat' for that grade of stone,as well as how'many carats' for the quality chose..This also relates with other stones,whether it's coral,spiny oyster,diamonds,rubies,peridot,amethyst,etc.
What also dictates the pricing is the cost of the metal,(what gauge did they use?) the weight of the metal & their valuable time to make the piece! Artists put all this time into make sure they are giving us their incredibly made pieces & their time needs to valued & respected!
This is just a little on how pricing works! And in this business,you pay for what you get!
