Enamel Jewelry
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 1900s American Art Nouveau Antique Enamel Jewelry
Pearl, Natural Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
19th Century French Victorian Antique Enamel Jewelry
Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
1880s European Russian Empire Antique Enamel Jewelry
Pearl, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, Enamel
1940s Unknown Retro Vintage Enamel Jewelry
Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Enamel Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, 9k Gold...
19th Century British Victorian Antique Enamel Jewelry
Pearl, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Enamel Jewelry
Coral, Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, ...
19th Century British Victorian Antique Enamel Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
1960s European Retro Vintage Enamel Jewelry
Freshwater Pearl, Ruby, Gold, Enamel
Early 20th Century British Art Deco Enamel Jewelry
Pearl, Silver, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Early 20th Century Swiss Art Nouveau Enamel Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Enamel
Late 20th Century Spanish Art Nouveau Enamel Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Early 20th Century British Edwardian Enamel Jewelry
Pearl, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Enamel Jewelry
Pearl, 18k Gold, Enamel
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Enamel Jewelry
Pearl, Diamond, Enamel
1880s British Victorian Antique Enamel Jewelry
Pearl, Ruby, Enamel, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Enamel Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
19th Century Unknown Victorian Antique Enamel Jewelry
Pearl, Gold, Rose Gold, Enamel
1920s American Art Deco Vintage Enamel Jewelry
Jade, Cultured Pearl, Gold, Enamel, 14k Gold
19th Century Unknown Victorian Antique Enamel Jewelry
Pearl, Diamond, 18k Gold, Enamel, Gold
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.