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| 24k gold cloisonné enameling set in 18k yellow gold with garnets and diamonds (2 ct.). |
Color has been a trend in the jewelry industry in recent years, primarily because of the economic recession as designers and manufacturers look to embellish their jewelry with colored gemstones and less expensive colored diamonds. However, very few have delved into the painstaking work of enamel jewelry that the company, Magick, has been doing for more than 25 years.
Without trying, the Fairfield, Calif.-based company is a trend-setter in the use of color, design techniques and materials. The company, founded by Denmark native Falcher Fusager, specializes in jewelry created through the cloisonné technique of enameling, he said during the Buyers Market of American Craft show, held February 17-21 in Philadelphia. This is done by cutting and bending 24k gold wires to create the outline of a design. Then each cell (cloison in French) within the wires is filled with different colors of enamel to create a shaded effect. The color is built up over many thin layers—with each layer fired in a 1,450 degree Fahrenheit kiln until it reaches its melting point and fuses to the previous layer. The resulting gem is cut, polished and set in gold.
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| 24k gold cloisonné enameling set in 14k yellow gold. |
Often embellished with diamonds and gemstones, the results are a full range of jewelry with a striking appearance. The colors are rich and vibrant, often in circular or curved patterns. Even though there is separation between the cells with wires, in many cases the colors seem to blend into one another. There is contrast and separation of colors. It has the playfulness of a kaleidoscopic effect but with a more thoughtful and deliberate purpose.