Enamel, the art of the Fire

Vitreous Jewellery Enamel is a layer of glass fused to the surface of your jewellery at temperatures close to the melting point of silver. Enamel gets its colour from the trace elements that give gemstones their colour and brilliance , the finished effect rivals many a gemstone , creating colour in ways that would just not be possible using any other technique. The Etruscan style ring opposite is a stunning example of how enamel when incorporated into jewellery design can create unique jewellery.

Jewellery By Design are proud to keep the art of enamelling alive into the next millennium. As Perth's only manufacturer of premium quality vitreous enamel jewellery we delight in bringing you creations such as the Dragonfly brooch which adorns these pages , hand carved from 18ct gold and enamelled in rich Royal blues and Greens and set with pearl eyes.

History

Enamel has been used as an adornment for millennia , Enamel at its most basic form has been found in the tombs of the pharaohs and has been used in China for hundreds of years. Enamel adorned the Armour and weaponry of the Celtic warlords of Ireland , Scotland and Wales, some excellent examples still survive today.

There are several different and distinct styles of enamelling which shall be touched upon in the next few pages

18ct yellow gold, fire red enamel, 0.15ct diamond

Choose your own colours

With the flexibility of enamel you can include colour schemes to suit your tastes , the background for most gemstones is yellow or white from the gold , silver or platinum background metal . With enamel you can have a black , white , blue , green - in fact any colour you wish to enhance your gemstones.

Of course enamel can be used without additional adornment as is displayed in the photograph opposite. Here a plain band of Electric Blue enamel encompasses the centre ring - no other fine jewellery medium except perhaps titanium can give you an effect to mirror the ancient art of enamelling

The most treasured pieces of Enamel jewellery are with the enamel as a setting for diamonds or other fine gemstones. On the next page you will see what can be achieved when the arts of the designer , enameller , and goldsmith are combined.

Champleve enamels

Most of the items on these pages are enamelled using the 'champleve' method , a French word meaning a 'sunken cell' , indeed the goldsmith sinks cell walls for the enamel to be fused into.

Cloisonne

Again from the French we have cloisonne. Cloisonne is the art of soldering wires onto a base surface , the wires are arranged in whatever pattern is required to form the cells to hold the fused enamel - cloisonne is a raised cell as opposed to the sunken cell technique of champleve.

18ct yellow gold sleeve - 18ct electric blue enamel 4mm wide ring

Throughout the ages

Enamel has found its way into the possession of royalty , Faberge's Easter eggs presented to Tsar Nicholas II now adorn royal houses and rich estates around the world. But Carl Faberge was a jeweller , and there are hundreds of fine specimens of enamelled Original Faberge jewellery still in existence today. Enamel was once a common element of fine jewellery , but its use has declined since the end of its heyday in the 1920's. By bringing you fine Enamel Jewellery , Jewellery By Design proudly keep up a tradition that has run in its family for generations

Possibilities..

With the added tool of enamel at our disposal , Jewellery By Design can continue to bring our customers innovative and intriguing designs. The ring opposite displays a fine yellow Sapphire and two natural cabochon cut emeralds , set in an 18ct handmade band enamelled in Royal and Electric blues.

18ct yellow gold, yellow sapphire, natural emeralds

Time for a change ?

Remember the sleeve ring on page 2 ? , perhaps tonight your mood is more intense , so take out the blue centre - slip in the Ruby Red enamel inner ring set with diamonds - or without and go out and play. The colour and gem combinations for this ring are endless. The inner ring can also be worn on its own giving you more choice - a standard service at Jewellery By Design.

Hot stuff !

Different colour enamels melt at different temperatures, blues and black - and some greens are worked at around 450 degrees Celsius , Reds and other Greens come close to 750 degrees - a close call not far off the melting point of the metal itself!. Enamel works well on white and yellow golds of high quality ie-18ct. Silver also readily accepts enamel as does copper which is the basis for much 'craft' jewellery enamelling.

18ct yellow gold sleeve - 18ct Ruby Red enamel, 4mm wide, 3 x 0.02ct diamonds

More colours , more choice.

Opposite is an unusual mix of colours which still manage to look fantastic. Jewellery By Design design team constantly experiment with colour and design to bring you new and unique designs that are wearable and affordable. Crowned by a natural cabochon cut Ruby and flanked by two guardian Diamonds , the 2 bands of deep Royal Blue enamel encircle the Green enamel inner section. Setting the Diamonds so close to the enamel takes considerable care even for the most skilled of setters , whilst durable with a hardness comparable to amethyst , one slip of the setters hand could be disastrous . Sometimes diamonds will be set before the enamel is laid of all the gemstones only diamond can withstand the heat that the enamelling process requires.

Repairing Old Enamels

It is possible to repair antique enamel jewellery , although often the old enamel must be removed and a new layer fused on , Enamel from only 20 years ago is different to enamels of today , in that lead which was once used to soften the enamel has now been replaced with safer substances. Please feel free to bring in your old enamels and our expert enamellers will advise on the possibility of its repair.

18ct yellow gold, blue and green enamel, cabochon Ruby with 2 x shoulder diamonds

That is all for this section at this time .

This site will be regularly updated , if you wish to be informed when this site is updated - please join our mailing list, and we will inform you of any major alterations and additions to this site.

Note: - remember the Red ring on page one - now it is Green , a testament to the versatility of Fire Enamels