Step-by-Step 
Cloisonné
A Brief History
Enameling, Just
what is it?
Most people think of enamel
as a hard, glossy paint used on woodwork and doors. This isn't real
enamel. Technically speaking, enamel in it's simplest form, means fusing
powdered glass to a metal backing at high heat.
Today, not many jewellers sell handmade enameled jewellery.
Customers are unlikely to think of them the same way they do gem-set
jewellery. However, in centuries past, people cherished them just much
as beautiful gems. This is due to the skill and workmanship required
which made enamels costly, so they in turn valued them as highly. Fine
enamels have, and continue to have, a long and honored place in the
art of jewellery making.
Enamels, when they were first developed, provided bright, durable colours
that were much easier to fashion than gem stones. Enameling was used
in tiaras, neckbands and brooches in the Gothic, Renaissance, and Art
Nouveau periods.
Today, the ability to create fine enamelwork is considered "rare".
Fine antique enameled pieces are often considered as valuable as those
containing fine gems - sometimes even more so. This is due to the meticulous
craftmanship, where human skill and artistry are everything.
Enameling
Techniques
Cloisonné
The principal form of hand-crafted enamels are named
after the French word cloisonné, meaning "partitioned areas".
In this process, small cells are created by soldering wire or thin strips
of metal to a metal backing. Each cell is filled with a colour of frit
(ground glass) and the piece is fired in a small kiln until the glass
melts into the cell. The process is repeated until the fused enamel
completely fills the cells.
Plique-a-jour
Plique-a-jour is filigree enamelwork,
like cloisonné
but with no metal backing. It imitates
stained glass windows.
This is a very difficult art form.
Champlevé
The French word champlevé
means "raised field". With
this process the cells, which hold the enamel, are gouged, carved or
etched in the metal with acid. This technique dates back to the Celts
in 5th century BC.
Basse-taille
From the French word, basse-taille
means "low-cutting", and this process is an extension of champlevé
. This time the cells are not finished flat on the bottom, but instead
engraved, chased or chiseled in bas-relief. Therefore, the end design
has a slightly raised appearance from the background.
Painted Enamels
Painted enamels have no metal divisions. The enamel,
which is a softer type than used in the other methods,
is applied with a brush and easy for the artist to control, therebye
giving the ability of creating a more lifelike image.
A Very
Brief History
The art of enameling has been practiced
for centuries. The earliest known enameled artifacts of jewelry and
small figurines were discovered around the Mediterranean Sea and date
from the sixth century B.C., Greece.
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and Enamel work are by
Christopher Palko
Registered Trademark for
Christopher Palko Goldsmith-Designer
2004