History of Enamelling

Enamelling History

From the earliest times vitreous enamels have been used as the most beautiful of decorative materials. The lustre gave an extra quality to the enamelled jewellery, vases or sculptures. Some examples of this were discovered in Lothian in Scotland, dating back to Neolithic times. In these early prehistoric times a wide variety of colours were used.

Scottish vitreous enamels were fired in kilns either outdoors or in a kiln house. The kilns were used for firing a wide variety of objects, including enamel items, jewellery, and decorative objects. Many examples of Scottish vitreous enamel still survive today.

Vitreous enamel is a material composed of mineral silica, and is mainly used as a glaze on jewellery and pottery. It is also used to make very thin protective layers on objects that are very sensitive to damage.

The ancient Egyptians were masters of using fired grains of powdered glass to create beautiful, jewellery and ceremonial objects. They began making enamelled jewellery by about 1000 BC and turned out some of the most beautiful and ornate pieces ever created.

Egyptian enamel jewellery was made of mostly hardened glass with a thin layer of silica as a protective covering. Usually, other materials were used to enhance the colour.

The German-speaking parts of Switzerland have a tradition of making expensive jewellery that was imported from other countries. Some of these pieces were made using very fine citrine, diamond, or sapphire gemstones, or a combination of them with the glass enamels.

Today many enamelled pieced are mass produced and enamelled jewellery can be made using traditional glass enamels or modern resin based plastic enamels. Both can produce beautiful results and are incredibly hard wearing.