01
Vases & vessels
Statement vases, bottles and jars — from delicate bud vases to weighty floor pieces.
金継ぎ Kintsugi · the art of joinery, in silver
The break becomes
the most beautiful
part of the story.
Nicole restores treasured ceramics with kintsugi — the 500-year-old Japanese practice of mending fractures in lacquer and precious metal. Nothing is hidden. Each break is traced in silver, and honoured.
Fig. 01 — vessel
( Since 2011 ) Urushi lacquer · genuine silver leaf Worldwide shipping Scroll ↓
金継ぎ Kintsugi ✦ 侘寂 Wabi-sabi ✦ もったいない Mottainai ✦ 漆 Urushi ✦ 銀 Silver leaf ✦ 継ぐ Made whole ✦ 金継ぎ Kintsugi ✦ 侘寂 Wabi-sabi ✦ もったいない Mottainai ✦ 漆 Urushi ✦ 銀 Silver leaf ✦ 継ぐ Made whole ✦
(01)
The philosophy
We do not disguise the damage. We proudly show the break — then draw it back together in a seam of silver.
侘
Wabi — imperfection
Kintsugi — literally “golden joinery” — began in fifteenth-century Japan. Rather than hide a break, the practice fills it with lacquer and precious metal, drawing a luminous line exactly where the piece once failed. Beauty is found in the flaw, not despite it.
寂
Sabi — the life of a thing
A mended piece is not lesser than the original — it is a new object, richer for what it has survived. Its history is written on its surface in silver. This is wabi-sabi: dignity in age, in wear, in a story that shows.
もったいない · Mottainai
“It would be a shame to waste something that still has good use.”
The old regret at needless waste. A cherished thing that breaks is not finished — it is waiting to be made useful, and beautiful, again.
(02)
What I mend
If it is ceramic and it matters,
it can be made whole.
02
Bowls & tableware
Everyday bowls, plates and serving dishes you are not ready to part with.
03
Tea ware
Chawan, teapots, sake sets and cups where every hairline matters.
04
Heirloom ceramics
Pieces carrying memory — a grandmother's bowl, a wedding gift, a keepsake.
(03)
Selected work
Seams of silver,
drawn by hand.
A few pieces recently returned to their owners — each fracture mapped, joined and gilded entirely by hand. (Photography to follow — placeholders shown.)
Fig. 01
Fig. 02
Fig. 03
Fig. 04
Fig. 05
Fig. 06
(04)
The process
Slowly,
and by hand.
Traditional lacquer cannot be rushed. Each layer of urushi must cure for days before the next is laid. The patience is the craft — five steps, all by hand, from broken on your shelf to whole in your hands.
- 01
Enquire
Tell me about your piece and share a few photos of the breaks.
- 02
A personal quote
I reply with a firm price, finish options and an honest timeline.
- 03
Send it safely
Wrap it well and post it — I send tested packing guidance and confirm arrival.
- 04
The slow mend
Fragments are set in urushi lacquer. Each layer must cure for days before the next — the work cannot be hurried.
- 05
Return home
Your piece comes back transformed, traced in silver, with care notes and a warranty.
(05)
Tradition, made present
Old craft,
modern life.
A repaired heirloom is a bridge — a Edo-era bowl brought back into daily use, a wedding gift given a second life. Kintsugi lets a centuries-old practice live on the shelf you reach for every day. The break becomes the most striking thing about the object, and the story you tell about it changes entirely.
Pieces made whole 500+
Returned delighted 98%
Years at the bench 15
(06)
Instant estimate
What might your
repair cost?
Every commission is priced individually, but the factors are simple. Move the controls for an honest, indicative range — then send your photos for a firm quote.
Indicative estimate
£280–£370
Based on a medium piece, 6 breaks, silver finish.
- Typical turnaround
- 5–7 weeks
- Materials
- Urushi & genuine metal
- Warranty
- 12 months
A firm price follows once Nicole sees your photos.
(07)
Voices
Pieces returned,
stories continued.
-
My mother's vase shattered in a house move. Nicole returned it with rivers of silver — I love it more now than before it broke.
-
The communication was as careful as the craft. I always knew where my tea bowl was and what was happening to it.
-
A wedding gift I thought was lost forever. The silver seams have become the first thing everyone notices.
Insured
Every piece is covered in transit, both ways.
4–8 wks
Typical turnaround — urushi cures slowly, in layers.
12 mo
Warranty on every gilded seam.
By hand
No shortcuts — genuine urushi and metal leaf only.
(08)
Good to know
Questions,
answered.
Is it safe to post a broken piece to you? +
Yes. Once you enquire I send simple, tested packing guidance so fragments travel safely. I confirm the moment your parcel arrives, and every piece is insured in transit both ways.
Can I still use the piece afterwards? +
Kintsugi is decorative rather than industrial. Restored pieces are best enjoyed as vessels for dry goods, display or flowers. Traditional urushi is not certified food-safe, so I recommend against eating or drinking directly from repaired surfaces — I will always advise per piece.
What if fragments are missing? +
That is very common. Gaps are sculpted and rebuilt before gilding, so the form is made whole again. Missing fragments add to the work, which is why the estimator includes a fabrication option.
Why does it take so long? +
Because it should. Traditional lacquer cures slowly and in layers — most pieces take four to eight weeks, heavily fractured ones longer. The patience is the craft; your quote always carries an honest timeline.
Which metals can I choose? +
Silver is the signature finish here — cool, contemporary and luminous. Genuine gold, copper and platinum are also available: gold is the classic warm seam, copper brings an earthy tone, platinum reads bright and modern.
Send it to the bench
Send me the piece you could not throw away.
Tell me its story and share a few photos. I’ll reply with a personal quote and a plan to make it whole.