Contemporary, Modern Cloisonné Enamel & Sterling Silver Handmade Artful Necklace by DianaHDesigns. Rainbow...so many colors! Lovely chain!

Handmade Made of vitreous enamel, sterling silver, stainless steel Necklace length: 21 inches Pendant height: 2 3/4 inches Pendant width: 1 5/8 inches Personalizable "House is Home" Design...Truly one-of-a-kind, this pendant was created utilizing metal smithing as well as cloisonné enameling skills...two techniques I truly love applying to my work! The rainbow of colors to include blue, green, pink, purple, turquoise, and opalescent white vitreous enamel tones are just gorgeous in this necklace! Gradations in the transparent colors from light to dark create wonderful depth and dimension. I call this design "House is Home" and have created a rooftop shape to my bezel setting! Within this design I incorporated many abstract shapes. The rays of the sun can be seen and was created by layering varying translucent colors over 24 k gold for an incredible iridescence! Although left to you to interpret, I see the sun, moon, stars, mountains, green grass and a beautiful blue sky! Textures abound in this one-of-a-kind pendant, with a textured contemporary design on the fine silver backdrop to the translucent enamel! A soft brushed finish on the backplate is also gorgeous! The entire setting has been oxidized with a soft patina that draws attention to these lovely textures in a subtle way. This design and color combination is quite striking and dramatic and will look incredible on a variety of colors that are likely to already be in your closet! It is as equally casual as it is elegant and will be as amazing with jeans and a t-shirt as it will with a dress or evening wear! It easily takes you from day to night....imagine this with a little black dress?! It is that piece of jewelry that will take most any outfit go from ordinary to extraordinary! This one-of-a-kind pendant is entirely made by hand, by me, in my studio. You will love wearing this necklace…or giving it as a gift...and won't ever see it on anyone else! A long box cable chain in stainless steel with a 2" extender on it and a lobster claw clasp offers versatility of length. This can be worn at either 19 1/2" length with a 2" piece hanging down nicely, or the full 21 1/2" length with the extender in use. If you would prefer a shorter length, please let me know and I can adjust accordingly. So…how did I make the cloisonné enamel design you see here? Most of my cloisonné designs start with a piece of fine silver sheet metal to which I add a design or texture. From this the shapes that I am planning to use in my design are then cut/sawed out. They are most often then domed in a dapping block or with other forming tools to give them a slight curvature. Next starts the enameling process, with a layer of vitreous enamel on both the front and back. Vitreous enamel is a fine powder-like glass that can be either sifted or “wet-packed” onto the fine silver. It is fired to approximately 1450 degrees in a kiln until it achieves its glossy glass effect. Fine silver wires are then shaped and fired onto the front side of the piece. This can be challenging as the small wires need to stand on their side edge and get imbedded into the enamel to create “cells” which in turn create areas within which to add your colors. Next, the color is slowly added to these various “cells”. Many thin layers of translucent enamel colors are added and blended to achieve lovely color gradations. Between each thin layer is a firing in the kiln before the next layer can be added. Layers are slowly built up to the height of the wires. After the last layer is fired, the top is ground smooth to allow for an overall very level, smooth surface…then back in the kiln again for what is called a “fire polish”. So, the cloisonné piece is done and now my metal smithing skills come into play. There are many very talented cloisonné artists, but often their settings are simple ones as the cloisonné enamel is the main and sometimes only focus of the design. I enjoy adding a unique sterling silver setting or “frame” to each of my designs to literally frame them in and have them come to life even more as the focal point of my completed work! I believe the combination of the cloisonné with the metal smithing is what separates my work and makes it uniquely different from many other artists. There are an incredible amount of hours in each and every piece, but each hour spent was truly a joy for me and a labor of love! You can be assured when buying one of these unique designs, that you are buying a one-of-a-kind design! I hope you enjoy wearing it…or giving it as a gift….as much as I enjoyed making it! Also, FYI in case you were wondering where the word cloisonné comes from… Cloisonné is actually a French word meaning "enclosed” or “cells”, ie. the fine silver “cells” that are created with the wires, within which all those different colors are placed. It is an ancient metal-working technique used for decorating jewelry as well as various objects. I enjoy combining this ancient technique with the modern, contemporary, architectural lines I am drawn to, with the end result being a unique piece of jewelry you can be well assured will not be seen on anyone else ever! Each is an individual one-of-a-kind wearable piece of art! Shipping: It is just me working in my studio, but my commitment is to ship within 1 business day (Monday - Friday) of receiving the order. I ship from Florida, and time in transit will vary depending upon where in the US you are located. I ship USPS with tracking info, which gets to most places within 3- 5 business days. Priority Mail is available at check-out as an upgrade if you would like it faster! Exchanges I want you to be happy with your purchase. Each piece is handmade by me in my home studio in Sarasota, Florida. If you need to exchange your purchase, please call or email me to discuss. Please note that I am not able to offer refunds on items custom made to order. Thank You!