Over the years I have acquired many vintage jewelry pieces that have some wear to the enamel. Many of these pieces were relegated to my jewelry box, where I couldn’t throw them away or wear them. It wasn’t until I bought an interesting vintage Christmas brooch that someone had already repainted but in a rather garish green, that the idea of re-enamelling occurred to me. So I went to the big craft store in town and pushed my way through the men buying little pots of enamel paint for their models of soldiers and vehicles.
Now I buy my little pots at a local model shop and so far I’ve been the only woman there. But don’t let this discourage you. Enamel jars are not only available in khaki and military brown, but also in bright colors that are ideal for jewelry. First gather your paints, brushes, kitchen paper and newspaper.
Clean the jewelry you want to paint and let it dry. Use a freshly moistened cotton swab for this.
Place on a piece of newspaper or a piece of kitchen paper.
Make sure not to smoke as the paint is flammable and use it in a well ventilated room.
Use small craft brushes and wipe clean afterwards with a towel.
When open, give the paint a good stir before use and a little goes a long way.
Paint the area and let it dry, then paint again; gives a good color that lasts longer
Match the original paint and you may need to mix different paints to match the color.
Or you can experiment and paint new shades to be a bit more modern.
However, experiment with some junky jewelry before painting a more expensive piece.
A great way to recycle jewelry that has small chips or the plate has worn away. But be careful, it can be addictive.
Have fun!
