What is faience in jewellery?
By Jared James · Last updated 21 May 2026
Definition
Faience is one of the oldest man-made materials used in jewellery, created by covering a quartz or sand core with a vitreous glaze that fuses into a glassy surface when fired. Ancient Egyptians used it extensively for beads, amulets and collars, often in a vivid turquoise-blue colour produced by copper compounds. It is sometimes confused with tin-glazed earthenware pottery, which shares the name in ceramics, but in a jewellery context faience nearly always refers to this much older Egyptian-style glazed quartz paste.
Frequently asked questions
- Is faience the same as pottery?
- The word is used for two different things. In ceramics, faience refers to tin-glazed earthenware like majolica. In jewellery and archaeology, it refers to the ancient Egyptian glazed quartz paste used for beads and amulets, and the two are completely unrelated materials.
- Why did ancient Egyptians use faience?
- Faience could mimic the colour of turquoise and lapis lazuli, precious stones that were costly and hard to obtain. The Egyptians also believed its blue-green colour had protective and sacred associations, which made it ideal for amulets and burial jewellery.
- Is faience still used in jewellery today?
- Occasionally, particularly in pieces inspired by ancient Egyptian or Mediterranean styles. Antique and archaeological-revival jewellery from the 19th century often featured genuine faience elements, and some contemporary makers use it for historically informed work.
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