Vintage Italian mosaic brooch

A souvenir of fond memories from a tour of Italy. Italian Micro-mosaics are created from tiny pieces of glass or enamel, called tesserae, which are arranged to form an image. Each micro mosaic is created by a steady and patient hand –a skill set that can be appreciated as these micro-mosaics are usually measured no more than a few inches and each piece of tesserae can be as small as a pencil lead, about 1 mm. It is truly an art form that is a labor of love. To care for your micro-mosaic jewelry, make sure to never soak it in water or cleaning solutions. This can damage the cement holding the tesserae in place. If your piece is very dirty, gently scrub it with a soft toothbrush using diluted dish soap. Rinse and dry immediately. We go so far as to blow-dry our jewelry after a cleaning to make sure it is completely dry.