Cloisonné is a multi-step enamel process used to produce jewelry, vases, and other decorative items. Objects produced by this process are also called cloisonné. The word enamel can mean more than one thing: Tooth enamel Vitreous enamel Enamel (markup language) Enameled wire This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Jewellery (spelled jewelry in American English) consists of ornamental devices worn by persons, typically made with gems and precious metals. ... Categories: Stub ...

Adding cloisons according to the pattern previously transferred to the workpiece

Detail showing pattern and partially completed cloisons

Adding frit with dropper after sintering cloisons. Upon completion the piece will be fired, then ground (repeating as necessary) then polished and electroplated

Adding cloisons to patterned base Cloisonne production at an official state production facility. ... Adding cloisons to patterned base Cloisonne production at an official state production facility. ... Cloisonne process - detail of cloisons At an official production facility near Bejing Picture taken late September 2002 by Leonard G. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Cloisonne process - detail of cloisons At an official production facility near Bejing Picture taken late September 2002 by Leonard G. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Cloisonne process - adding frit from a fluid dropper in conformance with a master pattern. ... Cloisonne process - adding frit from a fluid dropper in conformance with a master pattern. ...

Cloisonné process

• First, a metal such as copper or brass is formed into the shape of the finished object.

• A paper pattern and a pencil is used to transfer a design to the metal object.

• Partitions (French cloisons) that act as color separators are applied according to the transferred pattern and are held in place by a soldering paste (this is finely divided metal of low melting temperature in a flux paste). The partitions are bent and cut to length from flat wire stock, usually by hand using simple pliers while the paste is applied with a small brush.

• The partitions are permanently affixed to the base metal by heating the piece in an oven, which melts the solder, then the piece is cooled.

• Glass frit in a water based paste is painted into the partitions using an annotated pattern similar to the "paint by numbers" craft technique. The frit is dried and is then melted onto the metal by firing in an oven. This is repeated several times to build up the coatings to the height of the partitions. Various colors and transparencies may be used in combination within a single partition to obtain a desired artistic effect.

• The glass and a portion of the cloisons are ground and polished to form a even and smooth surface.

• The exposed metal is electroplated with a thin film of gold to prevent corrosion and for a pleasing appearance.

In chemistry, a metal (Greek: Metallon) is an element that readily forms ions (cations) and has metallic bonds, and it is sometimes said that it is similar to a cation in a cloud of electrons. ... General Name, Symbol, Number copper, Cu, 29 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11 , 4, d Density, Hardness 8920 kg/m3, 3. ... Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. ... The physics definition of a glass is a uniform amorphous solid material, usually produced when a suitably viscous molten material cools very rapidly, thereby not giving enough time for a regular crystal lattice to form. ... An example of a Paint by Numbers puzzle. ... Electroplating is the coating of an electrically conductive item with a layer of metal using electrical current. ...

History and an early Chinese example

Chinese Imperial Queen's headdress of the Ming dynasty, ca 1400 C.E.

Cloisonné is an ancient metalworking technique, first developed in the Near East. It spread to the Byzantine Empire and from there along the Silk Road to China, now the site of many high quality production facilities. Chinese Imperial Queens Headdress (Ming Dynasty) Blue cloisonne leaves and birds, gold dragons, pearls, polished semi-precious stones. ... Chinese Imperial Queens Headdress (Ming Dynasty) Blue cloisonne leaves and birds, gold dragons, pearls, polished semi-precious stones. ... The Ming Dynasty (Chinese: 明朝; Pinyin: míng cháo) was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, though claims to the Ming throne (now collectively called the Southern Ming) survived until 1662. ... The Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... Articles related to The Great Silk Road. ...

This example, an Imperial Queen's headress, contains leaf patterns in a single light blue color with each element is bounded by a rim, making this a work with cloisonne rather than simply enameled copper.

Other examples

• The Pala d'Oro, Saint Mark's Cathedral, Venice

• The Alfred Jewel, a 9th century English jewel

Contrast Champlevé enamel Alfred (849? – 26 October 899) (sometimes spelt Ælfred) was king of the southern Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex from 871 to 899. ...

See also

• Vitreous enamel