Cloisonné Technique
Hand-crafted cloisonné requires artistry, creativity, and painstaking attention to detail. The designs are started by bending 24k gold or fine silver cloisonné wire into the shapes of the original drawing. The wires are then fired into a layer of clear enamel which has been fused onto a base of fine silver. Once the outline of the design has been created in wire, the cells or cloisons can be filled with enamel.
Using many colors, a layer of moistened enamel powder is precisely applied with a paintbrush into the cells of the piece. This thin layer is fired at a kiln temperature of 1,425 °F to fuse the powder into vitreous enamel. This process is repeated 10 to 12 times to complete the intricate shading and detail of the design. Once the enamel reaches the top of the wires, the piece is ground down with diamond sponges to create a smooth finish, The piece is then fired one last time to obtain a glossy finish. The resulting cloisonné is then set into a hand-crafted sterling silver, 14k gold, or 18k gold setting to produce the finished piece of jewelry. |
