HOW WE MAKE YOUR BRACELET
The Core
High-quality wood—such as submerged sandalwood—is carefully chosen as the core material. It must be dense in texture, finely structured, well-shaped, and rich in natural oils. A premium wood base is lightweight yet durable, allowing lacquer to adhere well and minimizing the risk of warping or cracking over time.
The Lacquer
Minerals like cinnabar, azurite, and gold powder are finely ground and mixed into raw lacquer. This enriches the lacquer’s color and texture, creating a layered, lustrous effect with depth and vibrancy.
The Paint
The traditional twisting (打捻) technique is used to apply the lacquer in successive layers, leaving subtle indentations on the surface to help hold colored powders later. Each layer must be evenly coated, with a balanced thickness and smooth curvature, laying a solid foundation for subsequent decoration.
The Inlays
Selected materials—such as mother-of-pearl, opal, and gold or silver foil—are meticulously inlaid into designated lacquer layers. These embellishments create dazzling, gem-like patterns and bring out the bead’s unique interplay of texture and light.
Natural Drying
Each lacquer layer must dry naturally in a controlled environment—maintaining stable temperature and humidity, away from sunlight and dust.
After each drying phase, the processes of lacquering and inlay are repeated, often 30 to 60 times, to build up a rich, lustrous lacquer film with remarkable translucence and depth
The Polishing
Once the bead has fully dried and the lacquer layers are complete, it is carefully polished with abrasives of varying grit until the surface is glass-smooth and radiant. In some cases, a final hand-burnishing step is performed to achieve a jade-like sheen—soft, glowing, and warm to the touch.
The Bracelet
After dozens of meticulous cycles of lacquering, inlaying, drying, and polishing, the lacquer bead emerges as a work of wearable art. Each bead holds a universe within—layer upon layer of transparent lacquer wrapping around natural mineral tones and shimmering inlays, creating a depth and glow akin to polished gemstones.
