February 24, 2021
The Magic of Enamel
Enamel is a technique that brings jewelry to life with glossy bright colors that hearten design. This ancient craft may be delicate in nature but can be very impactful as a storytelling tool.
So, what is enamel? It is a finely powdered glass material that is fired in a kiln to reach a melting point where it becomes a liquid. This liquid will flow within the confines of a design, and as it cools, will become a hardened glass that adheres to the metal’s surface.
Artists found they could express movement by etching fine lines into a metal’s surface then apply an enamel overlay to create a mesmerizing radiated motif. This process dominated Victorian Europe and was perfected by Peter Carl Fabergé when producing the venerable Fabergé eggs for the Russian royal family.
At the turn of the 20th century, the French developed plique-à-jour where the enamel process was achieved without a metal backing, much like stained glass. This style was extremely popular during the Art Nouveau movement since light and color could interact as a fantastic ethereal dreamscape.
Shop our incredibly enameled estate jewelry here.
