Floral Lacquer Pendant

Floral Motif Lacquer Pendant on Silk Cord
Pendant: Hand-engraved black lacquer disk 3cm 
Cord: 35 cm black silk cord with sterling silver caps and S-clasp

Floral design inspired by the temples of Bagan, set on a red lacquer disk.
Lacquerwork is woven into the artistic, cultural, and socio-economic fabric of Myanmar. Within Burmese families, the skills of this intricate craft have been passed down through generations — and today’s masters continue to produce lacquerware using time-honoured techniques.

As lacquer art spread from China to neighbouring countries, each region adapted the practice according to local materials. The sap, or thitsi, essential to creating lacquer, is drawn from different species of tree depending on the region. In Myanmar, it comes from the Melanorrhoea usitata tree, giving rise to the country’s signature deep black lacquer. This distinctive base not only sets Burmese lacquerware apart visually but also defines it technically from the lacquer traditions of China and Japan.

The final stage of decoration, known as Yun, demands exceptional precision and patience. Artisans carve delicate motifs into the hardened black lacquer, then rub the engravings with mineral pigments — such as cinnabar and orpiment — applying layer after layer to build up a vibrant, dimensional finish.

This piece is completed with a 35cm silk cord, finished with sterling silver caps and an elegant S-clasp — a refined and wearable homage to Myanmar’s enduring artistic legacy.