Taming a capricious craft
- Inès taught herself enamelling techniques
- It may take hundreds of hours to decorate a few centimetres of metal
- She seeks a balance between technical mastery and aesthetics
Inès Hamaguchi studied jewellery at the Ecole Technique de la Vallée de Joux, the valley renowned for being the cradle of the Swiss watchmaking industry. During her apprenticeship, she discovered the works of René Lalique, whose plique-à-jour jewellery was a real fascination for her. “The works of Lalique became a powerful engine to help me overcome the difficulties and ‘tame’ enamel. Little by little, I acquired the much coveted technique of plique-à-jour, then those of cloisonné, ronde bosse, flinqué and champlevé.” Her in-depth expertise and long years of working in fine jewellery and watchmaking make her a sought-after collaborator for projects involving the enamel decoration of luxury objects.
Interview
- Did you train with a master enameller?
- I'm self-taught. In Switzerland, enamelling is mainly practised in a watchmaking context, where the law of secrecy reigns. There are very few master craftspeople specialising in this discipline, and most of them are not at all inclined to pass on their knowledge.
- How long did it take you to master this craft?
- I started in January 2006, at home, alone. For two years, I worked eight hours a day to progress in five different enamelling techniques. Some exercises that I imposed upon myself required more than 300 hours of work, but in the end I managed to obtain the result I was looking for.
- Do you feel there is always more to learn?
- The universe of enamel is so vast! I know that a whole life will not be enough. I harness my expertise to restore old pieces, my patience to push the limits of this capricious craft and my passion to make this art live with the technologies of the 21st century.
- In what way does it fit into today's world?
- The desire to advance a craft that is nearly 3,000 years old often brings me to mix tradition and innovation. It is not uncommon for me to take inspiration from old enamelled pieces, and to apply processes and tools from other crafts to develop new enamelling techniques.
Inès Hamaguchi is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2006
Works
Where
Inès Hamaguchi
