Enamel Jewelry
20th Century French Art Nouveau Enamel Jewelry
Citrine, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Enamel Jewelry
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Enamel Jewelry
Opal, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Enamel Jewelry
Natural Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Late 19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Enamel Jewelry
Pearl, 18k Gold, Enamel
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Enamel Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, 18k Gold, Enamel
20th Century French Enamel Jewelry
18k Gold, Enamel
1880s Antique Enamel Jewelry
Pearl, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Enamel Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s American Enamel Jewelry
Citrine, Diamond, Pearl, Gold, Enamel
2010s European Contemporary Enamel Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Contemporary Enamel Jewelry
Enamel, Sterling Silver
20th Century French Art Nouveau Enamel Jewelry
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Art Nouveau Enamel Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
2010s French Art Nouveau Enamel Jewelry
18k Gold, Gold, Enamel, Yellow Gold
1910s Art Nouveau Vintage Enamel Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold, Enamel
1910s German Jugendstil Vintage Enamel Jewelry
Opal, 10k Gold, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
Early 1900s British Art Nouveau Antique Enamel Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, 15k Gold, Rose Gold
20th Century French Art Nouveau Enamel Jewelry
Yellow Gold, Enamel
19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Enamel Jewelry
Pearl, Diamond, Enamel
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Enamel Jewelry
Diamond, Yellow Gold, Enamel, Gold, 18k Gold
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Enamel Jewelry
Diamond, Gold, Enamel
Early 1900s Art Nouveau Antique Enamel Jewelry
Pearl, Enamel
Antique and Vintage Enamel Jewelry and Watches
From vibrant to subtle, elegant to cheeky, vintage and antique enamel jewelry and watches encompass a wide range of colors and styles, and there are almost as many techniques for creating these distinctive pieces.
Enameling is one of the oldest forms of surface decoration, used to add color to jewelry without having to rely on gemstones. Evidence of enameling goes back to ancient Greece. Throughout history, far-flung cultures favored different techniques. For example, cloisonné enamel was popular during the Byzantine Empire, while artisans living in France and Germany in the Middle Ages preferred champlevé. And Art Nouveau jewelry designers favored plique à jour.
At its core, enamel is the fusion of powdered glass to metal, and artists like enameling because it allows them to add a painterly or illustrative quality to their work.
Cloisonné (“cell” in French) is a technique in the creation of enamel jewelry that sees the use of thin wires of fine silver or gold to outline a design, which is then filled with enamel. The piece is subsequently placed in a kiln where the enamel is melted. Cloisonné is distinct because the individual wires remain visible, forming an outline of the motif.
Champlevé (“level field” in French) enamel is almost the opposite of cloisonné. In this technique, depressions in the metal are made by etching, engraving or chiseling, and then layers of enamel are built up until they rise slightly above the surface of the metal. The enamel is then fired and polished.
Guilloché is a technique in which translucent enamel is applied to a piece of metal that has had designs cut into it using a lathe. After the firing, the patterns on the metal become visible. Guilloché was made famous by Peter Carl Fabergé, whose jewelry house used the technique on many of its objets d’art as well as jewelry.
Find antique and vintage enamel rings, bracelets, necklaces and other accessories on 1stDibs.