We will discuss enamel jewellery as part of our dossier on the different types of jewellery , even if, as the photo below proves, enamel and ceramics are not exclusively reserved for costume jewellery. Through this article we will try to evoke different aspects of enamel jewelry and the qualities of this material. Indeed, enamel and ceramics are common types of high-end costume jewellery, but as we shall see, enamel is even found in jewellery produced by the great jewellers.
Genuine enamel is a noble material that requires very high temperatures to be produced. It is a material that is part of glass and therefore has all the qualities of resistance and inalterability of glass. Few supports allow the realization of enamel: glass, steel, copper and terracotta which allows to make ceramics. To learn more aboutreal enamel, visit our file.
Often called “cold enamel”, many manufacturers of cheap jewelry play on the ignorance of the general public to call “enamel” paints or resins that do not have the qualities of enamel but cost much less. It is normally not allowed to call enamel jewelry a piece of jewelry covered with a vulgar paint, however, this practice is very common especially on the specialists of imported jewelry such as Ebay®, Amazon® … as for solid silver, or gold it is easy to buy in this case a piece of jewelry that does not match the description of the seller. To learn more about “Cold Enamel”, click here.
Ceramic jewellery
When the glaze is applied to the clay, it turns into ceramic. For enamel jewellery, the use of terracotta has the interesting property of being light and easy to shape, the enamel also gives it properties of hardness, resistance and colours that make it very beautiful objects and jewellery. In fact the only weakness of industrial ceramics is its low resistance to impact.
Orange glazed ceramic flower necklace
Presentation of an artisanal creator of ceramic jewellery: Christine Alloing
Chrisitne Alloing is an artist from the Lyon region who creates and makes her own ceramic jewellery. She works with white and black clays that she mixes into simple shapes: squares, rounds… and then glazes with warm colours: yellow, orange, red or cold: green and white blues. Very characteristic of these ceramic creations, her sometimes imposing jewels are very light and quickly take the body temperature which makes them very pleasant to wear.
Enamelling is a process that allows to apply a coloured glass on a jewel or any other object. In the case of the great jewellers, such as Van Cleef an d Arpels, and for exceptional jewels, enamel makes it possible to add a solid and unalterable colour to a jewel in a form or in places that could not be filled by certain precious stones. This also allows not to overload the design of the jewel.
Technical or industrial ceramic jewellery.
In recent years, jewellery made of industrial ceramics has appeared. The industrialists are improving the production processes of ceramics which is used for its properties of resistance to wear, to heat in productions as improbable as the engines of modern cars, or, more known applications: the kitchen knives or the candles of cars. These advances have made it possible to manufacture ceramic parts industrially with a high degree of respect for dimensions and composition. Suppliers have offered these new materials to jewelry manufacturers who have integrated them into their products. This is why we find today jewels made of ceramics in general white or black, associated or not with gold, silver or diamonds. These jewels whose price varies according to the brand have sometimes a great air of resemblance because they are all produced by the same machines and even sometimes in the same factories.
We can see that ceramics and enamel in general are not minor materials in jewellery. The qualities of enamel: brilliance, hardness, resistance to wear, cleanliness and conservation of colours make it a suitable material to add colour to jewellery in a noble way, as do gemstones with qualities so similar.
This article was published by the PINGTIPONG Bijoux team.
Genuine enamel jewel : Mauboussin ring in gold and multicolor enamel
Industrial ceramic and steel bracelet
