Enamel!

I worked with enameling in my designs years ago and recently fell back in love with it.

Enameling has very strong historical design references, it has been used throughout jewelry history dating back to ancient times.  Many cultures have been using enameling for thousands of years dating back to 1300 BC.

Making the enamel involves mixing flux and ground glass then melting it at a high temperature.  It can be extremely difficult to work with and control, our enamelist has years of experience and is a highly skilled artisan.  She uses multiple firings to build up the layers and create the bold, fun colors I love to work with.

Plique-a-jour enameling is hand painted onto the crownwork® in layers so that the color shines through the work.

Opaque enameling is baked into a channel built into the design.

 

Enameling brings a beautiful unblemished permanent color to my the jewels, it doesn’t soften over time and will look the same 100 years from now.