Cloisonne

Cloisonne is one of those mediums that offer a painterly quality to 2 and 3 dimensional objects. Fine jewelry cloisonne artist Sheila Beatty best describes cloisonne as:

The ancient and elusive medium of cloisonné is slow and painstaking in its creation. The design of each piece is defined by fine ribbons of silver or gold, which I shape by hand and place on a fine silver backing. The compartments thus created are filled with thin layers of enamel - glass ground into a powder - in vibrant colors. Each layer is fired in a kiln at a high temperature.

I found an interesting article online that discusses the pricing and characteristics of authentic cloisonne jewelry. They suggest that buyers should be wary of imported cloisonne that tries to pass as an older piece. You may view it at http://www.antiqueshoppefl.com/archives/agilbert/cloisonne.htm. I personally prefer the cloisonne jewelry of contemporary American artists such as Sheila Beatty, Carly Wright and Anne Havel. Their work was featured in the June issue of the Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist magazine.

Cloisonne History

Among the earliest examples of cloisonné are six Mycenaean rings of the 13th century bc. The great Western period of cloisonné enameling was from the 10th to the 12th century, especially in the Byzantine Empire. In China cloisonné was widely produced during the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911/12) dynasties. In Japan, it was especially popular during the Tokugawa (1603–1868) and Meiji (1868–1912) periods.. "

Jewelry appearing in this article is the handcrafted work of Sheila Beatty.

1 Million Dollar Per Carat Blue Diamond

Blue Diamond Sold article first appeared in the Gem Cutter's Guild of Baltimore June 09 Newsletter.

by Carolyn Weinberger

Imagine owning a seven-carat blue diamond! At an auction held May 13
by Sotheby’s in Geneva, the fabulous stone, set in a platinum ring, was sold to an anonymous buyer for a record almost $9.5 million. That’s more than $1 million per carat! The new owner will have the right to name the stone.

The stone, mined from the famous Cullinan Mine in South Africa is listed as an internally flawless, fancy vivid blue weighing in at 7.03 carats. It was cut from a 26.58 carat rough stone found in 2008. The blue color is caused by a sprinkling of boron. The cut stone is about the size of a US dime. The Cullinan Mine has long been known as the source of many famous diamonds including the famed Cullinan which was discovered there in 1905. It weighed in at 3,106 carats
and remains the largest diamond ever found. Two gems were cut from it - the Great Star of Africa and the Lesser Star of Africa, now both in the British crown jewels.