pail·lon | (ˈ)pī¦(y)ōⁿ
noun
Small pieces of metallic foil which are placed underneath enamel work to provide a glow, popular with a number of arts and crafts movement jewelers
A paillon is a small piece of metallic foil that is used as a basis of enamel work. The resulting piece provides a particular glow that helps the resulting craftsmanship to stand out in a piece. Paillon can be made from many different types of metals, but because of its softness and flexibility in being shaped, gold is a common type of metal selected for this. Sheets can have a thickness of as little as 0.1μ and can be used for gilding materials, as backgrounds in jewelry, and for watch dials. Because of how intricate it allows the resulting craftsmanship to be, they are increasingly popular with arts and crafts jewelers making handmade pieces.
