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Cloisonne Information
Everything you always wanted to know about Cloisonne and a little bit more.
HISTORY OF CLOISONNÉ
Cloisonné is an ancient craft of unknown origin that probably developed independently in various regions of the world. The word cloisonné comes from the French cloison, meaning cell; and refers to the way each enamel color is confined by a raised metal partition fashioned from flat, round, or braided wire.
CRAFT OF CLOISONNÉ
Cloisonné enamels are made from naturally colored minerals that are ground to a fine talc-like powder. Water is added to each powder color to form a mixture with the consistency of toothpaste. Each enamel color must then be painstakingly applied by hand to its sterling silver foundation using tiny spatulas, delicate paint brushes, or small syringes. When heated in a kiln, the enamel paste liquefies and, upon cooling, becomes a smooth, hard, and color-fast glass. Each color in a design has its own requirements for temperature and length of time in the kiln. Thus, every color must be heated individually and a precise firing order established. As with so many classic art forms, masters of the craft of cloisonné are growing more difficult to find.
ARTIFACTS & HEIRLOOMS
Exquisite examples of cloisonné jewelry have been found in Chinese royal tombs and in Egyptian burial sites thousands of years old. Because of its inherent durability, a well cared for piece of cloisonné jewelry can be passed from generation to generation. There is no reason a cloisonné pin or earrings shouldn’t last for dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of years! Cloisonné jewelry is truly for the ages.
BAMBOO GIFT BOXES
Every piece of our jewelry comes packaged in a handmade, laser engraved, bamboo gift box. Bamboo, though harder than oak or maple, is actually a fast growing grass that continually sprouts new shoots which can be harvested every three to five years. All bamboo used for our gift boxes is plantation grown without the use of fertilizers or pesticides, nor is it a food source or habitat for endangered pandas. Bamboo is gaining worldwide recognition as an ecologically sustainable resource that can serve as a positive alternative to the cutting of old growth forests.
UNIQUE QUALITY
Because of fabrication difficulties, most cloisonné jewelry rarely blends two or more enamel colors within a single wire-framed cell. Our designs, however, often use multi-color blending to depict three dimensional contours and for realistic shading. It is also uncommon for cloisonné color cells to be created using fine braided wire, but at Bamboo they insist on using this intricate fabrication method for every piece of jewelry. In addition, all jewelry is enameled on its backside—a process known as counter enameling. Counter enameling minimizes tarnishing and is not usually found on cloisonné jewelry in an affordable price range. Bamboo has also developed innovative methods for mounting their pins and earrings to their jewelry cards that produce unique shadowbox effects when the mounted jewelry is placed in its bamboo gift box. These are just a few examples of how Bamboo is striving to set new standards of excellence for sterling silver cloisonné jewelry
cloisonne information
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