About the Jewelry

Cloisonné enameling is a traditional decorative art technique used to create intricate designs on metal surfaces, often seen in jewelry, vases, and other decorative objects. The process involves creating small compartments, or "cloisons," using thin metal wires or strips. These wires are used to make fences that divide the areas of color and “draw out the design”. After the wires are fired onto the piece I then add colored enamel (a powdered glass mixture) and fired it in a kiln to achieve vibrant, glossy colors. Below are the steps I take to design an make the beautiful jewelry you see on my website.

1. Design and Cloison Construction

 - I start with a fine silver round wire that is placed in a rolling mill, the mill thins out the round wire and makes it flat and tall.

-The cloisonné wire is now ready for shaping with small hand tools. While shaping the wires I wear magnifying glasses as the work is very small and needs to be precise. These wires are carefully placed on a piece of fine silver that has a super thin layer of clear glass already on it and put into the kiln for the wires to sink into the first layer of glass and “glue” them into place.

2. Enamel Application

 - The compartments are then filled with enamel paste which is made from ground glass mixed with water, this is called wet packing. Each section can be filled with different colors to bring the design to life.

 - Multiple layers of enamel may be applied, with each layer requiring separate firings.

3. Firing

 - The piece is fired in a kiln at high temperatures (usually between 1400–1600°F), melting the enamel into a smooth, glass-like finish.

 - Firing is repeated multiple times to build up the enamel and achieve the desired color intensity. The heat fuses the enamel to the fine silver base.

 4. Polishing and Finishing

 - The piece is fully enameled when the glass has reached the surface if the wires. Now its time to level the surface and bring it to a beautiful shine.

 5. Final Product

 - The result is a durable, colorful, and glossy piece of art with a mosaic-like appearance, where the metal wires create clear boundaries between vibrant enamel colors.

History and Origins

Cloisonné enameling dates back to ancient civilizations such as Egypt and China. It was especially popular in China during the Ming and Qing dynasties and in Byzantine and medieval European art. Today, it is still used in both traditional and modern jewelry, often associated with vibrant color combinations and delicate, detailed designs.

The process requires precision, patience, and artistic skill, which is why my Cloisonné pieces are highly prized for their beauty and craftsmanship. While you will see some of the shapes repeated the artistic designs within each piece of jewelry is one of a kind.