Blue Xipi Lacquer Gold Ruffle Earrings

$1,480.00

Handcrafted to order. Leaves our bench by Thursday, 8 Oct

Complimentary shipping on orders over 300.0 USD

Made by hand — final sale. Cancel within 24 hours, before it ships. Shipping & cancellations

A round bead of deep blue xipi lacquer hangs from a ruffled gold-tone stud that twists down in three soft folds. The lacquer is marbled with patches of pale sky blue, gold-coloured veins and small pale flecks of mother-of-pearl, and the bead is finished with a small gold cap and ball at the base.

Layers of coloured natural lacquer are built up by hand over a sandalwood core and polished back to reveal the marbled pattern, with mother-of-pearl set into the surface. Each piece is handmade, so colour and pattern vary a little from pair to pair, and photographs are for reference.

Photographs are for reference only. Each piece is made by hand, so its colour and pattern will differ a little from the one shown.

The story
Xipi lacquer is made by laying down coloured natural lacquer in many layers and then polishing through them to reveal a marbled pattern. On this deep blue bead the maker brings up patches of pale sky blue and gold-coloured veins, with small flecks of mother-of-pearl set into the surface. It hangs from a ruffled gold stud that twists down in three soft folds, worn as a stud drop.
Materials
14k gold findings
Xipi lacquer
Natural lacquer (dàqī)
Sandalwood core
Mother-of-pearl inlay (luodian)
Size: Approx. 1 × 3 cm
Weight: Approx. 4.7 g
Technique
Xipi lacquer: layers of coloured natural lacquer are built up over a sandalwood core, then polished back to reveal a marbled pattern. Fragments of mother-of-pearl are inlaid into the lacquer surface (luodian).
Care
Keep dry and away from perfume, lotion and heat. Do not leave in strong sunlight. Wipe with a soft dry cloth and store alone in its pouch.
Shipping & cancellations

Complimentary shipping on orders over $300. Ready-to-ship pieces leave the bench within 3 working days; pieces handcrafted to order take up to two weeks. The date for this piece is shown above.

Cancel within 24 hours of ordering, as long as it has not shipped. Each piece is made by hand, so all sales are final: no returns or exchanges for a change of mind. Full details

  • Pair of stud drop earrings with ruffled gold studs above round deep blue xipi lacquer beads marbled with pale blue and gold, on an ivory background
  • Blue marbled Xipi lacquer bead earring below a gold ruffle stud, worn with a linen shirt