Japanese Enamel for Cloisonne and Jewelry

The Japanese ranges are the traditional cloisonne colors, and what distinguishes them is that they are graded: very pale, pale, medium and dark versions of one hue run consecutively, so color can be shaded across a piece without mixing. Three makers are gathered here. Ninomiya comes in transparents, opaques, semi-opaques and opalescents; Nihon Shippo in transparents and opaques; and Hirosawa in transparents and painting enamels. Most colors are sold in 1 ounce jars with 4, 8 and 16 ounce sizes; a flux underneath is recommended for the Nihon and Hirosawa transparents.