How jewelry brands work with ceramics – Style

The idea of ​​using ceramics in jewelry instead of precious metals appeared relatively recently. Around the mid-1980s, high-tech material came from the space and medical fields into watchmaking and jewelry. We are talking primarily about zirconium ceramics (based on zirconium oxide) and metal ceramics, in which ceramic particles are reinforced with metal ones, obtained by sintering. Such ceramics are incredibly durable – only a diamond can scratch it. It can be considered an example of chemical resistance: it will not be destroyed by unfavorable environmental factors, but it itself will not affect the skin, causing an allergic reaction. Ceramics is a light material and very tactilely comfortable. Finally, colored ceramics do not fade when exposed to ultraviolet light, maintaining their vibrant colors and glossy shine.

The benefits of a finished ceramic composite are balanced by the challenges of processing, polishing and painting. The last process is the most technologically difficult, since at 1500 degrees Celsius (and approximately at this temperature sintering occurs), many pigments are destroyed or enter into a chemical reaction with other components of the ceramics. This is why many jewelers work primarily with black or white ceramics, such as Chanel, Tiffany and Bulgari. Chinese jeweler from Hong Kong Dixon Yun uses black and white ceramic blocks in his square rings. Inside the ring is an openwork lattice of polished gold, and on top is an elegant diamond hibiscus or peony.

Most designers prefer polychrome ceramics, in all imaginable and inconceivable shades. Since 2006, this is the signature technique of James de Givenchy, the nephew of the famous couturier and designer of the New York brand Taffin. “I’ve always loved working with color, and ceramics has greatly expanded my capabilities and helped me diversify my design with new colors.” Often the setting of his rings resembles a colored layer cake; the Taffin bracelet made of khaki ceramic with juicy tangerine spessartine garnets attached to it is well known.

There is also a lot of bright ceramics in the jewelry of Russian jeweler Alexey Zubov. “My brand’s DNA is built on expressive color combinations and high-tech materials, which ceramics fully correspond to. Jewelry made from it turns out to be practical (even with active wear, it retains its original color and shine, the surface of the ceramic is practically not scratched) and bright enough to please the one who wears it. You can mix any colors, the palette is not limited, but you need to learn how to work with ceramics. For a very long time I was looking for a way to find manufacturers of this material,” said the designer. Zubov works with ready-made blocks of polychrome ceramics, which he gives the desired shape using a laser, or applies a ceramic composition to a gold frame as a special coating. The second method helps create original cocktail rings by combining aquamarines, tanzanites, garnets and other colored stones with a ring trimmed with bright ceramics.

Colored headbands for rings, earrings and hoop bracelets made of jewelry ceramics are created by Konstantin Kytin from the Bendes brand. He combines Paraiba tourmalines with scarlet ceramics, and tanzanites with green ceramics.

Liza Borzunova, creative director of the Liza Borzaya brand, uses nanoceramics. Its layer of microscopic thickness allows you to add color and brightness to the surface of gold or silver, but at the same time maintain a metallic shine or dullness. “Working with nanoceramics is similar in technology to the electrochemical rhodium plating process. Using a cathode and anode, a thin layer of the precious metal rhodium is applied to the product to cover the yellowish tint present in 18-carat white gold, says Lisa. “Nanoceramics has a similar technology, only after the electrochemical bath the technological process requires baking the product in a muffle furnace at a temperature of 120-200 degrees.” Using this technology, her Love ring and Treasure jewelry handbag were made from dark Tahitian pearls, decorated with bright red hearts. And, by the way, the ring fits perfectly into a miniature clutch.

For the first time, jewelers MIUZ Diamonds turned to ceramics in the Amelie collection and Arpita Navlakha, creative director of the Sutra brand – in the Melange collection, details made of colored ceramics are framed by a pattern lined with diamonds, sapphires, and emeralds.

Nina Spiridonova