Custom Enamel Cloak Clasp — Star, Swallow & Saturn Motif
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Sterling silver, enamel, amethyst
D. wanted a cloak clasp unlike anything in a catalog — an eight-pointed star in bold color with a bird crossing a ringed planet at the center, meant to hold a full-length wool cloak closed. He came in with a reference image and very specific color ideas, and worked through several rounds of design with the team to translate it from an idea into a piece that would actually function as a clasp. When it was finished, he wrote: 'Fantastic! It looks great! I can't wait for it to arrive.'
'Fantastic! It looks great! I can't wait for it to arrive.' — on delivery
Quick specs
Design type
Primary Metal
Shape / Cut
Primary Stone
Accent Stones
Design Complexity
Intent: Certainty
Size
Approximately 3 inches diameter. Swiveling ring/tube closure on back, ring diameter approximately quarter-sized (about 24mm), metal gauge approximately 12 gauge.
How they made it distinctive
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01
Functions as a real closure, not just decoration — a swiveling ring-and-tube mechanism on the back lets it hold a full-length wool cloak closed
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02
Eight-pointed star rendered in five distinct enamel colors, each fired into its own individually dammed metal compartment
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03
Bird element converted from flat enamel to solid silver set with amethyst gemstones for texture and dimension
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04
Planet-and-bird motif was reworked mid-design specifically so the bird reads as flying over the rings rather than sitting on a flat surface
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05
Based directly on a client-supplied reference image, translated from a flat graphic into a dimensional, wearable, functional object
How you'd make it yours
Enamel colors: this piece uses red, green, blue, yellow, and light blue — a new commission could use any color combination achievable in enamel
Center motif: this piece uses a bird-and-planet design; a new commission could use a different central image or symbol
Metal: this piece is sterling silver; the same enamel technique works in gold as well
Closure mechanism: this piece has a swiveling ring-and-tube back closure sized for a wool cloak; a new commission could use a different functional mechanism sized to its purpose
Diameter: this piece is approximately 3 inches; a new commission is sized to its own intended use
One of a kind: this exact clasp was designed for one client's cloak and is not reproduced — a new commission is an original piece inspired by this one, not a copy
Design changes made
The planet was enlarged and the bird repositioned so it reads as flying over Saturn's rings rather than sitting on a flat dome, after the client felt the first version lost that effect. The bird was also changed from enamel to silver set with amethyst gemstones at the client's request, and a swiveling ring-and-tube closure was added to the back so the piece could function as a real cloak clasp.
Who this is for
This is for someone who had a very specific image in their head that doesn't exist anywhere off the shelf, and who needed it to actually work as a functional piece, not just look good. It's especially right if you're bringing your own reference art or symbolism and want it translated faithfully into a wearable, durable object.
How it's made
Once the final design was approved, the piece was 3D printed in wax and attached to a wax tree inside a flask. The flask was placed in a kiln to burn out the wax, leaving a hollow mold, and molten sterling silver was cast into that mold under pressure. After cooling, the raw silver piece was removed from the mold and prepared for the finishing stages.
The cast silver medallion was cleaned and polished first, creating individual metal compartments for each color zone of the star pattern. Multiple colors of enamel were then applied into these compartments — red, green, blue, yellow, and light blue in the star's points, black across the background, and white in the center field. The bird was left as polished silver and set by hand with small amethyst gemstones, and a swiveling ring-and-tube mechanism was added to the back to function as the working clasp closure.
Key note
The thin silver outlines separating each enamel color are not just decorative — they are the structural dams that keep each color of molten enamel contained in its own compartment during firing.
Pricing guidance
A large, multi-color enameled medallion with a custom functional closure mechanism sits toward the higher end for sterling silver custom work of this complexity. Most of the cost comes from the labor-intensive multi-color enamel process and the engineering required for a functional back closure, rather than from the metal itself. Gemstone setting and the number of enamel color zones are the next biggest cost drivers.
Moves price up ↑
- ↑ Increasing the number of distinct enamel colors or compartments
- ↑ Adding more gemstones or upgrading to larger stones
- ↑ Upgrading the base metal from sterling silver to gold
- ↑ Adding a more complex mechanical closure mechanism
- ↑ Increasing the overall diameter of the piece
Moves price down ↓
- ↓ Reducing the number of enamel colors to simplify compartmentalization
- ↓ Replacing gemstone accents with enamel only
- ↓ Choosing a simpler, non-functional decorative mount instead of a working clasp mechanism
- ↓ Reducing the piece's diameter
- ↓ Simplifying the central motif to fewer layered elements
Questions people ask
Enamel is a durable glass-like coating fused to metal at high heat, and it holds color extremely well over time since it doesn't fade like dye or paint. That said, enamel can chip if struck hard against a hard surface, so a piece meant for daily functional use benefits from a slightly raised metal border around each enamel zone to protect the edges. For a clasp that gets handled regularly, avoiding sharp impacts is the main care consideration. Otherwise it requires no special maintenance beyond occasional gentle cleaning.
Yes, a decorative medallion can be engineered to function as a real closure by adding structural elements like a swiveling ring-and-tube mechanism on the back. This requires working out the size and gauge of the ring and tube based on what the piece needs to hold and how much weight it will bear. It takes a few rounds of back-and-forth to confirm the mechanism will actually work for the intended use before finalizing the design. The front design and the functional mechanism are engineered together so the piece looks finished from both sides.
A multi-color enamel medallion in sterling silver with gemstone accents and a custom functional closure sits toward the higher end of custom silver work. The price is driven primarily by the labor of applying and firing multiple enamel colors into separate compartments, plus the engineering of any working mechanism, rather than the cost of the silver itself. Adding more colors, more gemstones, or a larger diameter all push the price higher. A simpler single-color enamel piece in a smaller size would cost meaningfully less.
For a piece with multiple rounds of design refinement and a functional mechanism, the design phase alone can take several weeks as details like color layout, stone placement, and closure function are worked out. Production after design approval typically takes four to six weeks, covering the wax model, casting, multi-color enamel application and firing, and gemstone setting. Complex multi-part designs with a custom mechanical element can extend that timeline if additional engineering rounds are needed. The team will share a render for approval before any metal is cast.
Yes, a design element originally planned in enamel can be converted to solid metal set with small gemstones instead, which changes both the look and the cost slightly. This works well for a focal element you want to stand out with texture and sparkle rather than flat color. The metal shape has to be cast solid rather than left as an open enamel compartment, and stones are set into it by hand afterward. This kind of swap is usually confirmed during the design review stage, before the final render is approved.
Amethyst is a naturally occurring purple quartz that ranks about 7 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it durable enough for small accent settings in a piece that gets regular handling. It has a rich bluish-purple to deep violet color range, which is why it is commonly chosen for designs calling for that specific color family. Lab-created alternatives in similar purple tones also exist and can be more consistent in color and typically lower in cost. For small accent stones like these, either option looks essentially identical to the eye.
Combining structural metals like brass, copper, and steel into one cast jewelry piece is very difficult because they have different melting points and don't bond reliably when cast together. The more practical way to achieve a multi-color metallic look in fine jewelry is to use a single base metal, like sterling silver or gold, and then apply different colors using enamel or by inlaying gemstones. This gives a similar visual effect of distinct color zones without the structural problems of mixing dissimilar metals. Different gold karats or rhodium plating can also be used for subtle metal-tone variation within a single piece.
Yes, a design like this can be scaled up or down in diameter during the initial 3D modeling stage, before casting begins. Changing the diameter after the piece is already cast is much more difficult because it affects every enamel compartment and the gemstone setting proportionally. It's best to confirm the exact size needed, based on its intended use, before the final design is approved. For a functional piece like a clasp, the size is typically determined by what it needs to physically hold or connect to.
