Enameling Blog of Cloisonné & Many Other Enameling Techniques

Welcome to my Enameling Blog of Cloisonné Jewelry Techniques and others, Plique a Jour, Champlevé Enameling and yes Painting Enamels.

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I share my life’s passion and inspiration with anyone who wishes to read. I am a self-taught enamelist and goldsmith. I did not live here in the US where there was a knowledge base and to my advantage, my knowledge came from trial and error and today I continue to build on trial and error.

Read, test, fail, analyze, try again and you will surely learn.

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Opalescent Enamel

Glass On Metal, Volume 13, No. 6, December 1994

By Woodrow Carpenter

On the back cover you will find an announcement for a lead-free opalescent enamel. More than three years of work has gone into this development. If a few simple procedures are followed consistent good results are obtained.

When fused directly onto copper it should be fired at 1500 degrees F. for approximately 4 minutes. It will appear as well cleared transparent flux. Opalescence can be produced by reheating at 15oo degrees F. for approximately 1-1/2 minutes. The time is critical. If too short no opalescence will develop and if too long the opalescence will vanish. The preferred procedure is to refire for 1400 degrees f. for 3 minutes. The opalescence develops as the ware cools. Those who prefer to coat one side at a time can fire the first side at 150 degrees F. for cool, pickle, coat the second side and fire at 1500degrees F. for 4 minutes. Then refire as above to develop the opalescence.

On silver first apply a good coat of flux made for silver. Then apply the opalescent enamel and fire at 1400 degree F. for 2-1/2 – 3 minutes. As it cools the opalescence will develop.

Enamellers who like to fire high can do so to obtain different colors from the dissolved copper oxide. Then refire at 1400 degrees F. for 3 minutes or at 1500 degrees F. for a short time as described above.

The announcement also includes an enamel to be used as opalescent lumps. Again, certain procedures must be followed for best results.

Dip the lump into a solution of Klyr-Fire or other adhesive.

Place onto a fired enamel surface and allow to dry.

Fire at 1400 degrees F. for 2-1/4 to 2-1/2 minutes. Lump should be well rounded and quite opalescent.

The lumps have thermally reversible opacity. If refired at 1400 degrees F. for 2-1/4to 2-1/2 minutes will change the opacity to opalescence. Of course too much fire will flatten out the lumps it will be more of a domed disk. If opalescence is lost, refiring for a shorter time will bring it back. With judicious firing considerable attitude is obtained.