What is Mokume Gane?
Mokume gane is certainly a buzzword in the world of jewellery, and for very good reason – traditionally a Japanese technique used to elegantly swirl and fuse alternating metals, mokume gane allows for the development of gorgeous, intricate patterns into whatever form it is being laid into. Although traditionally a technique to create swords of incredible strength, sharpness and durability in Japan through the complex layering of carbon steel and other metals, the technique has found its way into the world of jewellery. In this article, we take a look at mokume gane to see what this process is all about.
How Mokume Gane works
Whether you’ve wanted to buy mokume gane rings for quite some time or have just heard about this fascinating process, learning more about how jewellery is manufactured according with centuries-old customs is nonetheless fascinating. The mokume (wood eye) gane (metal), named so due the final finished metal product having distinctive swirls in the metal itself similarly to wood grain, has been around since the 17th century in Japan. It was in the Akita prefecture that master metalworker Denbei Shoami (1651-1728) invented the technique, where it was for the most part used in Japanese swords in a time where they were used less for battle and more as a symbol of status. Despite being mesmerising in appearance, the swords still remained extremely deadly weapons, with the highly advanced Japanese sword smithing techniques still incorporated in the designs. Although these swords were once impressive symbols of important people in Japan, the reinstatement of the emperor with the Meiji Restoration meant that samurais were outlawed, and the public display of swords became illegal. With the absence of these swords, mokume gane fell into obscurity in Japan.
The production and revival of mokume gane
To create pieces that incorporated a mokume gane design, materials were traditionally soft, rather than hard, and included metals and alloys such as gold, copper, silver, shakudo, shibuichi, and kuromido. These were used due to the metals forming liquid phase diffusion bonds with one another instead of outright melting, which is how the beautiful designs are initially formed. The sheets that were involved in the process were then stacked on top of each other and gently heated, which enabled the eventual increase in the pattern’s complexity. As mokume gane is evidently a highly involved process passed down through masters to apprentices, the use of this technique all but became extinct during the twentieth century. In modern jewellery manufacturing, the wonderful process was rediscovered in the 1970s and is now used in jewellery as a way to demonstrate highly unique and valuable pieces. Unlike the old production processes required to create mokume gane, modern examples of the technique are highly controlled and rely on controlled, high-temperature furnaces.
Are you interested in mokume gane?
If you’re excited at the prospect of wearing a piece of jewellery that has been crafted with the use of mokume gane, there’s a good chance that you can find a jeweller in your city capable of crafting the piece. Its important to do your homework, though, as it might not be too easy to find and you might also have to pay a hefty premium due to the complex nature of the manufacturing process. There’s one thing for certain, though: it’d definitely be worth it.
