Metal jewelry isn't restricted to gold, silver, copper and bronze. Enamel pieces, made by placing enamel or melted glass onto a metal base, can offer "an infinite range of color," said retailer Tina Harrison.
"It can be used in an almost painterly fashion or made bold and modern," said Ms. Harrison, owner of Blues Skies, a gift shop on Frazier Avenue. "A lot of contemporary American jewelry designers are drawn to enamel because it can provide a relatively large scale or 'canvas.'
"I tend to be drawn to this type of usage -- it makes a statement and can make an outfit."
According to historians, enamel jewelry has been worn since ancient Egyptian times. Taylor Watson, a certified gemologist at Fischer Evans Jewelers on Market Street, said the technique became especially prominent during the Chinese dynasty period. Cloisonné is perhaps the best known technique, but there are several others.
"The ancient Etruscans (of Italy) and Egyptians also had a technique for enameling. It involved melting the colored glass and fusing it onto metal. Different colors have higher fusion temperatures, so mixing colors in one piece is a very time-consuming art."
In the 1880s, Peter Faberge used different ways of enameling on jewelry and objects of art for the Russian court, Mr. Watson said. "He is probably the most well-known artist using this art form. Today the (early) Faberge works are priceless."
Enameled jewelry was the rage in the early 20th century, with many designers trying to copy Faberge, he said. Prominent modern artists include Man-Am and K. Goldschmidt, who have continued using the Victorian theme in their works of enamel, Mr. Watson said.
Perhaps the best-known enamel artist today is Hidalgo, a Cuban immigrant in Miami, who has developed "a very impressive line of rings, brooches, bracelets, earrings and men's dress sets," Mr. Watson said.
Cost of the jewelry varies considerably depending on technique, materials and designer. At Fischer Evans, some pieces, including ones by Faberge, sell for thousands of dollars. Most of the lines at Blue Skies are priced around $30.
Designers include John Madsen of Memphis, whose line is called Dylan Blue Jewelry; Anna Sim and Kevin Lee, a married couple from Victorville, Calif., whose designs often depict nature-themed subjects such as owls, trees and dragonflies; and Leo Lee, a Canadian whose accessories line, Lavishy, also draws inspiration from nature, often depicting botanical and bird imagery.
Ms. Harrison said Mr. Lee is known not just for beautiful designs but his practicality. "In the case of his enamel pendants, it shows up in the fact that they are reversible, making the piece twice as lovely."