Look Book

32 | thejewelr ybook.com A third-generation collector and jewelry a cionado, Michael Shulman lives in Las Vegas with his miniature sch nauzers, Rémy and Riley. A writer, photographer, and DJ, Shulman's essays on luxury and popular culture have appeared in publications including Business Traveler, American Way, PAPER, BlackBook, Ocean Drive, GOTHAM, Celebrated Living, and VEGAS; while his online magazine, ShulmanSays, will celebrate its eenth anniversary in 2024. by Michael Shulman V I T R E O U S E N A M E L H A S B E E N A L L T H E R A G E , for centuries, though it's been experiencing a renaissance over the past decade or so. And, of all of the diff erent enameling techniques, the most enchanting – as well as the most diffi cult, most time-consuming, and most delicate – is plique-à-jour (aka "backless enamel"), which is essentially glass that's been fused to a precious metal It's similar to cloisonné, except the backing has been removed, allowing for light to pass through the diaphanous enamel, giving it the appearance of miniature stained-glass windows. Originally used in the Middle Ages, and all but forgotten a er the Renaissance, plique-à-jour was "rediscovered" in the 1870s by the French jeweler, André Fernand esmar. is would lead to its prominent use in Art Nouveau jewelry – a style in which a jewel's setting became as important as the stones with which it was set – by the likes of René Lalique and Louis Comfort Tiff any, as well as the enameled objects deluxe and objects de fantasie created by the House of Fabergé. Roughly a decade ago, I was perusing the fl oor of e COUTURE Show at Wynn Las Vegas, when I noticed a ring in a friend's case that featured these fi gural leaves that almost seemed illuminated from within. When I asked about the ring and its setting, he told me that it was an enameling technique called plique-à-jour and went on to explain that it is such a diffi cult-to-master process that everyone he knows who uses plique-à-jour in their designs has the enamelwork done for them by a Los Angeles-based master jeweler named Şinork Agdere. en, he proceeded to stand up, grab my arm, and march me over to the LORD Jewelry booth, where he promptly introduced me to Şinork and his daughter, Lena. I was immediately struck by both the unabashedly joyful, color-saturated designs of LORD Jewelry, and the old-world charm and easy elegance so authentically exuded by the Agderes. What it took me another moment to appreciate was the mastery of enameling techniques (not just plique-a-jour, but also cloisonné and champlevé), allowing for any number of "teaching moments" during that and every subsequent visit. One-of-a-kind Snake Ring; crafted in 18k gold, with multicolor enamel, set with diamonds (1.37 ct. t.w.), and emeralds (0.08 ct.) One-of-a-kind Dreamscape "Constellation" Necklace; crafted in 18k gold, with multicolor enamel, set with diamonds (0.46 ct. t.w.), and sapphires (1.34 ct) Winter 2024 | Wearable Prozac LORD Jewelry and the Art of Enamel

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