cloisonne

Cloisonne is an ancient metalworking technique, first developed in the Near East. It spread to the Byzantine Empire and from there along the Silk Road to China, now the site of many high quality production facilities. The Chinese started making cloisonne in the 16th century, and it continues to be made to this day. Like so many other things, there is fine cloisonne that was artistically crafted for the connoisseur and then there is cloisonne that was made with less attention to detail for the tourist or souvenir market. China is the leading producer of cloisonne.