Fordite Pendant

Description

This unique pendant features a polished piece of Fordite set in re-milled sterling silver.
Not only is the front face of this piece a feature, it has been set to highlight the sides
which exposes layer upon layer of different coloured paints – overspray – used in the
production of motor vehicles (see below for further description). The silver ball is an
antique glass bead from the collection of jeweller Miriam Haskell who was a costume
jewellery designer in the 1920’s through the 1960’s. The pendant hangs from a long
belcher chain.

Fordite is a unique automotive enamel material with an interesting history.
The original layered automotive paint “rough” was made years ago by the now extinct practice of hand spray-painting
multiples of production cars in big automotive factories. The oversprayed paint in the painting bays
gradually built up on the tracks and skids that the car frames were painted on. Over time, many
colorful layers built up there. These layers were hardened repeatedly in the ovens that the car bodies
went into to cure the paint.