A solid gold signet with the design painted by hand in champlevé enamel — the same technique used on Georgian and Victorian keepsake jewellery, done the same way it was then.

What champlevé actually is
The design is first engraved into the gold, cutting recessed cells below the surface. Those cells are filled with finely ground glass, laid in wet with a brush, one colour at a time. The piece then goes into a kiln at around 800°C, where the glass melts and fuses to the gold itself. It comes out, is ground back flush with the metal, and goes in again — usually several times, because each colour and each layer needs its own firing.

What you end up with is glass, not paint. It won't fade in sunlight or peel the way a printed transfer or a cold epoxy "enamel" does. It is still glass, so treat it as you would a gemstone: it can chip if you knock it hard against something.

→ Watch a piece being painted and fired, and see more designs we've made.

Personalise your piece — it doesn't have to be a pet
Most people send a photograph of their dog or cat, and those are lovely. But the technique doesn't care what it's painting. Anything you can photograph or describe, we can usually paint: a pet, a person, a horse, a bird, a flower, your house, a tattoo, a childhood drawing, a monogram, a coat of arms, a favourite painting, the view from somewhere that matters. If you're not sure whether an idea will work, ask us before you order.

How a commission works

1. Send your references. Place your order and send us your photographs — as many as you like, from any angle. Tell us what matters: the tilt of the ears, the exact colour of the coat, the white patch on the chest, the eye you always notice.
2. We design it. We paint up a design and send it to you before anything is engraved or fired.
3. You change what you want changed. We revise it until it's right.
4. Then we make it. Engraving, enamelling, firing, polishing, setting.

Nothing goes into the kiln until you've seen and approved the design.

Item details

• Made to order
• Gold: 18K solid gold — yellow, rose or white
• Enamel: true vitreous (glass) champlevé, kiln fired
• Stones: lab diamonds
• Ready to ship in 3–5 weeks

More on the technique, the four stages of making, and the full gallery: Champlevé Enamel Jewellery. Browse everything made this way in the Champlevé Enamel collection.

Questions? Click the Chat button at the bottom right corner of the page and we'll get back to you within a few hours.

US customers: we cover all import duties and taxes — your order arrives with no additional charges. International customers: we prepay most duties and taxes on your behalf. Each order is beautifully packaged, ready for gift giving.