| Today's enamel jewelry has a beautiful finish and | | | | shopper centuries ago. |
| comes in hundreds of wonderful colors. Recently | | | | The 5th century Byzantine world saw the |
| the "new enamel" has emerged; bright epoxy | | | | creation of very ornate jewelry. Enameling was |
| paints that embrace the color spectrum and can | | | | liberally used in the designs, along with peals and |
| turn a plain piece of pewter jewelry into | | | | precious stones. There was much beautiful |
| something stunningly original. | | | | jewelry created during this time period, all the |
| True enamel jewelry making involves fusing | | | | way up to 1204 when Constantinople, capital of |
| colored, powdered glass to metals using heat. In | | | | the Byzantine empire fell during the Crusades and |
| the 1950s my parents kept a small kiln in the old | | | | so many gorgeous objects of art were melted |
| coal cellar of our house where they created | | | | down for their worth in gold and silver alone. |
| masterpieces in ashtrays and screw-on earrings. | | | | The Anglo-Saxons of the 7th century created |
| (Both of them were artists, but this was just a | | | | some intricate cloisonné enamel work, |
| side hobby) I still have some lovely examples of | | | | much of it polychrome, meaning "many colors". |
| copper earrings with intricately patterned | | | | These were detailed designs reminiscent of Celtic |
| enameling in warm colors and designs. | | | | knot work and must have been incredibly time |
| Perhaps the epoxy paints used to produce so | | | | consuming. |
| many of today's masterpieces shouldn't strictly be | | | | Moving forward into the early Renaissance, |
| called enamel, but at first glance there isn't much | | | | enamel continued as a favorite medium for many |
| difference. Purists may differ, but materials used | | | | jewelry artists. I'm looking at a photo of a lovely |
| to produce various effects do alter through time. | | | | enamel pendant in gold and blue depicting a branch |
| I find it fascinating that some enamel work has | | | | with many-hued birds. It seems to be a locket, |
| been found as early as the Hellenistic epoch, a | | | | although the shape is irregular so it certainly didn't |
| period of time from Alexander the Great's death | | | | hold a painted portrait. Perhaps it was used to |
| in 323 B.C. to 146 B.C. when the Romans | | | | keep herbs or gemstones inside. |
| conquered Greece. By the end of this time period, | | | | Wherever artists create jewelry, enamel will be |
| enameling and use of colored stones in jewelry | | | | found. From detailed cloisonné work in |
| making was becoming more popular than work | | | | ancient China to today's epoxy enamel earrings |
| done by the gold and silversmiths of the day. I | | | | and pins, color will always evoke emotion and |
| think people of all times have loved color, and the | | | | excitement. Enamel has long been a way to enter |
| brilliance of a ruby or even an earring inset with | | | | color into designs without having to supply the |
| colorful but inexpensive enamel began competing | | | | expensive and limited variations of precious and |
| with the precious metals for the eye of the rich | | | | semiprecious stones. |