First off, you should understand the difference between Cloisonné and Soft Enamel. To put it simply, Cloisonné is polished flat with a smooth finish, whereas Soft Enamel has raised and recessed areas. The enamel is layered past the metal line and is then polished down to the same level as the raised metal.

Is cloisonne Chinese or Japanese?

Chinese cloisonné was produced from as early as the 13th century. Japan did not produce cloisonné until the mid 19th century. We recently had a consignor bring us Cloisonné he assumed to be all Japanese.