Black and gold, delicate as lace, and tough enough to have survived your grandmother's jewelry box: that's damascene.
If you've ever found a bracelet, brooch or pair of earrings covered in tiny golden vines, birds and scrolls on a deep black background, you've probably met damascene. It's one of the most recognizable looks in vintage jewelry, and one of the most misunderstood.
Our Japanese damascene scenic panel bracelet is in the shop now for $55, and it's the only one we have.
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What damascene actually is
Damascening is the art of inlaying soft gold (and sometimes silver) into a harder, darkened metal, usually steel. The name points back to Damascus, famous for decorated metalwork for centuries. The craft came to Spain with the Moors, and the city of Toledo became so famous for it that the Spanish word damasquinado and the phrase "Toledo ware" are still used today. The Basque town of Eibar was another important center.
The traditional process is slow and skilled: the artisan scores fine crosshatched grooves into the steel, hammers thin gold wire or foil into them, then blackens the surrounding steel so the gold glows against it. Every vine and petal is placed by hand.
Damascene jewelry in America
After World War II, Spain's tourist trade boomed, and damascene jewelry became a favorite souvenir. Travelers and servicemen brought home bracelets, cufflinks, brooches and compacts by the thousands, especially in the 1950s and 1960s. Popular designs include songbirds, flowers, swirling vines, geometric borders, Don Quixote, and little castles or windmills. Japan also produced its own damascene, most famously under the Amita name.
Damascene vs. damascene style
Because the look was so popular, many companies made damascene-style jewelry: gold-tone metal with black enamel or paint printed or stamped to imitate the inlay. Some of these are lovely in their own right, and some mix in enameled flower panels or rhinestones that true Toledo work rarely has. They're simply a different, less labor-intensive thing, and they're priced that way.
How to tell them apart:
- Try a magnet. Traditional Toledo damascene is built on steel, so a magnet usually sticks. Most gold-tone damascene-style pieces are brass or base metal, and a magnet won't grab.
- Look closely at the gold. Real inlay sits in the surface and often shows tiny hammer texture and the faint crosshatch underneath. Printed or plated designs look flatter and perfectly uniform.
- Check for marks. Genuine pieces are often marked "Spain" or "Toledo," sometimes with "24K" for the gold. Japanese pieces may say "Amita" or "Japan." Many still have no mark, so don't rule a piece out for that alone.
- Look at the back and edges. Inlaid steel panels are often set into a gold-tone or brass frame; look-alikes are usually one plated piece all the way through.
See it in person: damascene in the shop
True inlay next to the damascene-style look. Each one is a single piece, so when it's gone, it's gone.
What it's worth
Most vintage damascene souvenir jewelry is still very affordable, which makes it a wonderful place to start collecting. Larger, finely detailed Toledo pieces, complete sets, signed Amita pieces and anything still in its original box bring more. Missing safety chains, worn gold, rust on the steel and lifted inlay all lower the value. Damascene-style pieces are valued on their charm, condition and design.
Caring for damascene
- Keep it dry. Steel can rust, so never soak it, and store it away from humid bathrooms.
- No polish, no dips. Silver and jewelry cleaners can strip the blackened finish and the gold. A soft, dry cloth is all it needs.
- Store it separately so harder pieces don't scratch the delicate gold.
Damascene in the shop right now
- Japanese damascene scenic panel link bracelet — eleven black panels inlaid in gold and silver with pagodas, boats and a torii gate
- Damascene style hinged bangle with enamel rose panels — a pretty example of the damascene-style look
Pieces come and go, so check back often. Have a black-and-gold mystery piece of your own? Send a photo to hello@oddlydarlingvintage.com.
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Keep reading: What Is Enamel Jewelry? · What Is Cloisonné? · How to Date Vintage Costume Jewelry