Art-Deco Faux Plique-á-jour Cicada Pendant

Debuting in the Winter 2022 collection: This is one of Jeni's Art-Deco Lalique-inspired faux plique-á-jour cicadas. Plique-à-jour (French for "letting in daylight") is an enameling technique where color in the form of powdered glass and water are applied in cells, much like windows of color, so light can shine through the transparent or translucent panes. It is in effect a miniature version of stained glass is considered technically challenging as the color is applied for several layers in-between kiln firings. I use a similar technique which relies solely on surface tension for smaller areas and no firing. In a sense, faux plique-á-jour using cold materials (translucent tissue paper and colored lacquers) and a heat gun for curing only.

Every cicada is unique - fabricated by hand as a form of metal origami. The body is hand-formed from 100% brass. Cicada wings are hand-painted using a combination of blue and green tissue paper embedded in a cyanoacrylate resin and lacquer. Very sturdy - the wings have gone through a vigorous cleaning and polishing process to ensure long life and wearability. Cicada is 2.5" tall. The finish is sealed with clear jeweler's wax finish for water-proofing and to protect the surface for long wear. Can be wiped clean or polished with simple jeweler's polishing cloth.