Filigree (also less commonly spelled filagree, and formerly written filigrann or filigrene) is a form of intricate metalwork used in jewellery and other small forms of metalwork.
In jewellery, it is usually of gold and silver, made with tiny beads or twisted threads, or both in combination, soldered
together or to the surface of an object of the same metal and arranged in artistic motifs. It often suggests lace and remains popular in Indian and other Asian metalwork. It was popular as well in Italian, French and Portuguese metalwork from 1660 to the late 19th century. It should not be confused with ajoure jewellery work, the ajoure technique consisting of drilling holes in objects made of sheet metal.
The English word filigree is shortened from the earlier use of filigreen which derives from Latin "filum" meaning
thread and "granum" grain, in the sense of small bead. The Latin words gave filigrana in Italian which itself became filigrane in 17th-century French.
History
Though filigree has become a special branch of jewellery in modern times, it was historically part of the ordinary work of the jeweller. Indeed, all
the jewellery of the Etruscans and Greeks (other than that intended for the grave, and therefore of an unsubstantial character) was made by soldering together and so building up the gold rather than by chiselling or engraving the material.
Ancient work
Archaeological finds in ancient Mesopotamia indicate that filigree was incorporated into jewellery since 3,000 BC. Specific to the city of Midyat in
Mardin Province in upper Mesopotamia, a form of filigree using silver and gold wires, known as "telkari", was developed in the 15th Century. To this day, expert craftsmen in this region continue to produce fine pieces of telkari.
Egyptian jewellers employed wire, both to lay down on a background and to plait or otherwise arranged jour. But, with the exception of chains, it cannot be said that filigree work was much practiced by them. Their strength lay rather in their cloisonné work and their molded ornaments. Many
examples, however, remain of round plaited gold chains of fine wire, such as those that are still made by the filigree workers of India, and known as trichinopoly chains. From some of these are hung smaller chains of finer wire with minute fishes and other pendants fastened to them.
In ornaments derived from Phoenician sites, such as Cyprus and Sardinia, patterns of gold wire are laid down with great delicacy on a gold ground, but the art was advanced to its highest perfection in the Greek and Etruscan filigree of the 6th to the 3rd centuries BC. A number of
earrings and other personal ornaments found in central Italy are preserved in the Louvre and in the British Museum. Almost all of them are made of filigree work. Some earrings are in the form of flowers of geometric design, bordered by one or more rims each made up of minute volutes of gold wire, and this kind of ornament is varied by slight differences in the way of disposing the number or arrangement of the volutes. But the feathers and petals of modern Italian filigree are not seen in these
ancient designs. Instances occur, but only rarely, in which filigree devices in wire are self-supporting and not applied to metal plates.
Our Israeli designers jewelry was created to last a lifetime and meant to be passed down through the generations. It should be stored well and be cleaned on a regular basis. Know the factors
which can contribute to the everyday wear and tear of your fine jewelry. You can clean and care for your jewelry and keep it looking like new by following these simple guidelines.
Cleaning:
Silver set with semi-precious gemstones is delicate and requires special care when cleaning and storing. Particular care should be applied when handling items with porous gems such as turquoise, amber, pearls, eilat,
malachite, lapis, opals, coral, and lava. All jewelry should be treated gently while cleaning as they can damage easily.
It is always better to under-clean something than to over-clean it. An item can always be cleaned a second time, but it is difficult to replace
broken parts or to restore the oxidization that was applied to enhance the filigree patterns.
Do not use dip solutions for cleaning oxidized filigree jewelry or silver jewelry with stones. Those solutions contain harsh chemicals that can strip away the beauty of the
oxidized filigree and can severely damage the stones. Gemstones are sensitive to heat and chemicals. Do not use polishing sprays, pastes or creams as they get in between the fine filigree wires. Cleaning this will be very difficult and the effort can damage the jewelry.
Simply polishing with a special silver polishing cloth is the best way to clean silver. This works very well when the tarnishing is not too severe; it is also the best method for cleaning oxidized silver items. Using paper towels or tissues to polish your jewelry is not recommended as they contain fibers that can scratch the silver and get stuck in between the filigree wire decorations.
For deeper cleaning, mix a solution of liquid dish soap and very warm, but not boiling water. You should be able to comfortably place your hands along with the jewelry in the water. Let the jewelry soak for up to 10 minutes & not more than 5 minutes for jewelry set with semi-precious stones. Lightly
remove dirt with a soft brush. Give a final rinse under warm running water. Lay the jewelry flat on a paper towel to air dry. This procedure will not harm the filigree jewelry. If your jewelry has Roman Glass do not put in water, only polish with the polishing cloth.