Vicente Torres Aflague or “Tun Ben Katson” was born in 1898 to Vicente Flores Aflague and Maria Martinez Torres. As a young boy he became an apprentice to his uncle and learned the art of making silver and gold jewelry. Prior to World War II, he opened his own goldsmith shop in which he became famous for the craftsmanship of his pendants, chains, bracelets and earrings. On Guam, jewelry was made from imported shipments of gold, but at times when shipments were delayed or gold was scarce, he resorted to using old Spanish coins as raw material.

During this era, one of the most important social events on Guam were the island fairs organized by the US Navy and held in Hagåtña, the capitol. In addition to food, games, and music, one highlight was the crowning of an island fair queen. Tun Ben Katson was a favorite for crafting the crowns worn by the winning contestants.

Tun Ben taught two of his children Vicente and Mariquita the goldsmith trade. When he passed away in 1940, they took over his shop, calling it Aflague’s Silversmith and later Aflague’s Jewelry and Gift Shop. Both of them continued to keep the shop open and the tradition of “Katson” gold and silversmithing alive until their deaths in the 1970s and 1980s.

Although Tun Ben Katson’s goldsmith shop is no longer open, the trade lives on in his descendants, and the name “Katson” continues to be associated with high quality locally-inspired jewelry.

Tun Ben Katson was honored by the Guam Council on the Arts and Humanities Agency (Guam CAHA) as a Master of Chamoru Culture for his work as a plateru or goldsmith in 1997.