Representatives of the fair sex try to emphasize their individuality, stand out and attract the attention of others, with stylish hairstyles, expensive shoes, manicure and original jewelry. Many people choose expensive earrings and rings made of gold and silver with precious metals. Others prefer products with hot enamel or cold. This jewelry is considered unique. Performing the hot enamel technique is considered exquisite workmanship. Talented craftsmen make jewelry with her irresistible.
Variety of Enamel Jewelry
Jewelry with enamel is particularly sophisticated and beautiful. Today, classic, avant-garde, ultra-modern rings and earrings in silver and gold, decorated with enamel, are at the peak of popularity. Thanks to this original technique, craftsmen place admirable works of art on bracelets and pendants.
Jewelers include creative ideas and experience, combine new metal processing technologies and produce colorful jewelry. The color scheme of these products can be varied. Enamel not only complements crafts, but also protects them from corrosion and mechanical damage. Over time, these jewelry do not lose their luster and brightness, they are not afraid of moisture, temperature and light.
The most important advantage of jewelry with enamel is that they are original, emphasize the individuality of their mistress.
What is enameling?
The release of jewelry, covered with a kind of glaze, has been massively adjusted. However, such jewelry is handmade. In the original version, each product is different from the other, so they are never repeated.
The use of glass, which is easy to melt, is called enameling on the surface of a metal by professionals. The composition and application of the glaze may be different. There are several techniques for fixing the substance.
History of occurrence
Enamel was used for products by ancient Rusich. They called it enamel. She was decorated not only with jewelry, but also used for arts and crafts: decorated bowls, goblets, caskets, caskets.
The oldest items with original glaze were found in Cyprus during excavations. Also traces of this work are found in Egypt, India, Byzantium. Since the Byzantine Empire had close ties with Kievan Rus, this technique also came to our region.
In the X-XI century in the Middle East, hot enamel was applied to ornaments on utensils. Masters of the Byzantine Empire also put it on the dishes.
The flowering of enameling occurred in the XII-XVI centuries. Then the Chinese emperors ordered to combine metal with casting. So the enamel began to be applied to copper. For this, a special composition of blue color was created. Later, the technique in blue tones became the property of Chinese applied art. Chinese enameling technique is popular all over the world. Patterns in the sky range cover not only jewelry, but also caskets, saucers, cups, vases, glasses.
Later, the application of hot enamel began to be used not only for kitchen items, but also framed with it icons, mirrors, salaries. In the XIX-XX centuries, the Art Nouveau style became popular, when decorations and decorative items were decorated with glaze. Chemistry has moved far ahead and thanks to this, experts have developed a whole palette of shades for enamel.
Cloisonne Jewelry Hot Enamel
The most elegant hot enamel technique is cloisonne. First, a pattern is applied to a copper, silver or gold plate using thin wires. They act as peculiar partitions, between which colored glaze is poured.
In the old days, such a decoration technique was used instead of precious stones. In India, there are minankari jewelery in which enamel motley is combined with precious stones. Hindus also add metal ornament or coinage.
Exemplary is Chinese cloisonne enamel. What images you will not see on this patterned casting! There are also magic animals, flowers, petals, bunches of grapes, ornate patterns. Many enjoyed enamel floor vases from China!
Stained glass enamel belongs to partition technology. The principles of these two glazes are very similar. Gaps in the lined ornament are filled with wet enamel. Then the product is dried and fired. To get a multi-color pattern, each shade of glaze is fired separately in a muffle furnace. As a result, fused enamel resembles glass.
The only difference between stained glass and cloisonne technique is that the first has a transparent structure if raised to the light. Cloisonne enamel has a metal base, so it does not shine through.
Notched enamel
The most ancient and easiest to manufacture is considered chiseled enamel, or "champlay". It consists in creating recesses in the metal. Glaze itself is easy to apply. With its help, color prints are performed, as well as grandiose images with alternating metal and enamel.
Most often, copper is used as the starting metal, since it is soft and easy to make in it. Their depth can be different, color saturation depends on this. For the production of imitation jewelery, stamped blanks with recesses are used, in which enamel of various shades is only poured.
Transparent or through enamel
Such glaze is used in jewelry with precious metals. It can be gold, platinum, silver. Such a metal coated with transparent enamel will shine through it and shine very much. Paints of the product will be very juicy. The metal under the transparent glaze does not tarnish and is protected from mechanical damage.
Blank enamel
Such glaze is also called opaque. Put it on copper and tompak. Deaf or opal enamels are distinguished by a huge range of colors, so that the metal alternates with the color of the glaze.
There is something else between translucent and deaf enameling. At different angles of incidence, it passes from transparent to opal, resembling the play of light with overflows.
Hot enamel technology
Jewelry made of hot enamel has been used for a long time, although the process of their implementation is considered time-consuming. This type of enameling is a leader in the manufacture of jewelry and other products. Such glaze is firmly held on things, because it is baked in specialized ovens (muffle) and kept at a temperature of 600-800 ° C. Then the product can be cooled, cleaned and polished.
At first glance, the process seems simple, but patience for such a thing does not hurt. In its initial form, the enamel has the form of a powder. It includes specially selected charge materials: quartz sand, chalk, feldspar, clay. Also in this composition are soda, borax, potash and excipients. Mandatory the presence of dyes, oxidizing agents, silencers in it to obtain an opal state.
First, enamel powder with water is diluted in a special container to the density of sour cream. Then with this mass fill the necessary sections of jewelry. Before firing, the product is dried to release air bubbles. Under the influence of temperature, the enamel fuses and becomes like glass (transparent or dull). Then the craft is polished and amenable to re-firing. At the end, a perfectly smooth surface is obtained.
For multicolor and cloisonne glaze firing is done strictly in turn. White enamel is burned the longest, followed by pink and blue. Then the cells are filled with green and black glaze. Red glaze is considered less heat-resistant, it can withstand the least.
Pouring enamel mass occurs very smoothly to make a perfect surface. Depending on the complexity, a decoration with hot enamel can be burned from 5 to 100 times. It is necessary to very accurately monitor the time and temperature of the firing. This creates unique masterpieces that exist only in a single copy.
Types of cold enameling
Cold enamel is a kind of fiberglass, it is easy to apply. There are three types of cold enameling:
- Two-component cold mix. It is simply poured onto the decoration. First, the mass is diluted to the consistency of the cream by adding a catalyst to it. Then, using a tool, apply it to a metal surface. In order for the applied mixture to solidify, it is kept for 48 hours at room temperature, then it is kept for 20 hours at a temperature of 70 ° C. The surface will look like ceramic. Shades of this glaze can be mixed.
- Heat curing glaze. It looks like hot pouring, but it burns at a temperature of 160 ° C. A distinctive feature is that it is not polished so as not to leave matte marks on it. This glaze is not very strong. If you press it hard with something, then a dent will remain.
- Light curing fill. This process is reminiscent of filling a toothpaste with a liquid paste. The applied glaze is irradiated with an ultraviolet lamp, after which the enamel hardens. Using this technique, chips are often repaired on jewelry. The light-curing mixture is quite solid, it is considered average between cold and hot enamel.
Tricks for choosing quality products
Enameling is a painstaking process, so jewelry in this technique is not cheap. They are considered premium products. When buying jewelry with enamel, it is worth paying attention to the presence of cracks, chips, scratches, bubbles. Gold is most suitable for it, because in a heated state it does not deform. Earrings with hot silver enamel look great. Copper gizmos also perfectly harmonize with glassy glaze. Storage and wearing jewelry with enamel requires the following rules:
- do not subject jewelery to shocks, protect from friction with metal objects and surfaces;
- watch out for temperature changes so that the product does not get sunlight;
- put on jewelry after applying makeup;
- avoid contact with chemicals;
- wipe the enamel with a soft cloth;
- remove earrings and rings with icing before going to the pool, shower, bath;
- choose jewelry of famous brands (Sokolov, Sunlight).
Differences between hot and cold enamel
Hot enamel is more durable and its price is higher than cold. In cold enameling, there is another technique - enamel. After its application, it spreads out with multi-colored patterns, like gasoline on water. It turns out a kind of color stains.
Hot pouring is more even because it is durable. Roughnesses are found on cold enamel, since it is not polished. Still hot glaze shines brightly.
Cold mixtures also have advantages. They are simple, unpretentious, plastic. For the manufacture of such jewelry does not require special tools. Cold enameling is suitable for all alloys.
Enamel on Gold and Silver
Stunning collections of gold and silver jewelry with enamel make the hearts of the most sophisticated connoisseurs of beauty tremble. Among the huge selection of earrings, rings, bracelets pleasing to the eye is the harmony of rich shades, faceted gems. Black and white classics are also trending today.
Silver pendants, enamel pendants look simply masterpiece. Coated rings produce massive and sophisticated. They are sometimes inlaid with stones. Original sets with enamel will become an adornment for girls of any age and status. Smooth, even rings like engagement rings, on which a Greek pattern is applied, look great.
Who produces hot enamel jewelry
Feminine colored jewelry is represented by several Czech jewelry brands. The most famous of them is Style Avenue. Czech experts are experimenting with cloisonne cold enamel.
Italian glazed products are popular. Here are the most famous companies: Damiani, Bulgari, Garavelli. Italian crafts surprise with their shapes in the form of flowers, buds and butterflies.
Georgian enameled products are called minankari. Shades in them pass very smoothly. It is suitable for pendants and rings.
Sunlight silver jewelry is especially popular in Russia. The surface of this enamel is very smooth, and the ornaments are made in smooth lines.