Repousse
re·pous·se | rə-ˌpü-ˈsā
noun
A raised, high relief design on the front of a metal object made by hammering, embossing, or punching the reverse side of the metal to form the design from the back side out
Repousse is a technique used to create relief on the surface of precious metals for jewelry designs. The technique involves creating a raised or high relief design on the front of a metal object. This is done by hammering the metal, embossing the pattern, and punching the reverse side of the piece to form the design. On the front side of the jewelry, the design will stand out. On the back, the origins of the pattern can be seen, though a backing will be applied to cover the original marks. The resulting relief can be a specific image or a design or pattern within the metal of a piece of jewelry.