If you are considering buying a beautiful Fine Bone China table set you may well have a few questions. One of them being, how durable is it? This is probably because Fine Bone China appears almost as if it is translucent, with a delicate look and feel about it compared to other forms of tableware. This blog is here to determine how durable Fine Bone China is and let you know whether or not it is a worthy investment:
First of all, people may try to distinguish between fine bone china and bone china as if they are separate entities. The truth is that they are the same thing. The word fine is generally placed in front of it to highlight the quality of the product itself. However, new bone china is actually something completely different, so be careful.
Bone china includes bone ash as one of the raw materials used to make it. The quality of the fine bone china is determined by the percentage of bone ash used. If the fine bone china is constructed of at least 30% bone ash, then it is considered high quality. It is this raw material that enables the product to be so thin, giving it that stunningly delicate and almost transparent appearance. Additionally, this ingredient allows fine bone china to have a far superior chip resistance and durability as opposed to porcelain.
In addition to bone ash, fine bone china is also comprised of kaolin, feldspar and quartz. These specialist materials, along with the bone ash, mean that fine bone china is actually the strongest and most resilient of all ceramics. In the real world, that means that fine bone china mugs, teapots, saucers, and other tableware are the most durable pieces of tableware you can buy, despite their appearance. When all these materials are mixed together, the appearance and texture of bone china is opaque, and the color is a beautiful and brilliant snow white.
Fine bone china goes through an intense firing process. The first time it goes through the oven, the temperature is set to 1250°C. This is known as biscuit firing. The second time this tableware goes through, the temperature is set at the lower temperature of 1150°C, and this is known as glaze firing. This process bonds the materials together, making the end product far stronger and durable. If you are interested in purchasing fine bone china mugs or saucers, for example, that are beautifully decorated, the firing process used to make them is even more complicated. Usually, it means that the piece has been through the oven three to five times, ensuring the strength and durability of the end product.
Fine bone china may look more delicate than porcelain, as it is thinner and more lightweight. It also has much warmer hues. However, due to the materials used to make it, it is stronger, more resistant and ultimately a very durable but beautiful looking tableware and gift material.
