Definition: a decorative technique, in which gold or silver (and occasionally other materials, like mother-of-pearl) are inlaid into an object to form a pattern; originated in the mid-1600s in Italy and developed in France, it was first applied to boxes and other small objets; the technique spread to jewelry in the early 19th century, blossoming in the 1850s-1880s, especially as English manufacturers developed mass-production methods - which in turn caused the designs to grow less naturalistic and more geometric reflecting the automated techniques; highly characteristic of tortoiseshell jewelry (in fact, sometimes the term is used as shorthand for a tortoishell piece decorated in this way)
There are two types of piqué:
- piqué point, in which tiny metal pins or wires are driven into the base material to form the pattern
- piqué posé, in which metal flakes, strips or threads fill in an engraved design
Associated with designers: Laurentini, Charles Boulle
Pronunciation: pee-kay
Also Known As: piqué d'or (specifically, when gold the metal used)
Not To Be Confused With: plique à jour
Example: Although the piqué tortoiseshell brooch had lost some of its gold pins, the overall design was still stunning.