As a kind of special craftwork of Beijing, Chinese Cloisonné is the most well known of all the varieties of Cloisonné and enamel making in the world.
Cloisonné was introduced to China during the Yuan Dynasty via the Silk Road. It became popularly known as “Blue of Jingtai” as blue enamel was the predominant color theme during the YuanDe period of the Ming Dynasty. The technique flourished during the Qing Dynasty.
The process of making Cloisonné is quite elaborated and complicated. It contains six steps:
1. Base Hammering. Artists form metal into desired shapes.
2. Soldering the Filigree Work. A pure silver wire usually about .010 x .040 inches in cross section is bent into shapes that define the colored areas.
3. Enamel-filling.The glass paste, or enamel, is colored with metallic oxide and painted into the contained areas of the design.
4. Enamel-firing. This is done by putting the article, with its enamel fillings, to the crucible.
5. Polishing. Whetstone and carbon are used for polishing to produce some luster on the surface of the article.
6. Gilding. The exposed metal filigree is electroplated with gold or silver to prevent oxidation from dulling the filigree. Then a final polish will be given to the article.
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