About us

OLINSTON · The Quiet Power of Lacquer

OLINSTON · The Quiet Power of Lacquer

In a fast world, we exist to slow things down.

At Olinston, we believe that beauty isn’t born in an instant — but in repetition. In brushstroke after brushstroke. In weeks, even months, of waiting.

Inspired by the ancient Chinese art of lacquer (大漆 daqi), our work is rooted in stillness, ritual, and care.

Each lacquer bead or object takes between two months to half a year to complete. Traditional lacquer-making involves dozens — sometimes hundreds — of steps: coating, polishing, sanding, drying. Each stage must be repeated multiple times, with patience and precision, to achieve the perfect finish.

This is not just craft. This is heritage.

From as early as 7,000 years ago — as seen in red lacquer bowls from the Hemudu culture — lacquer art has evolved through dynasties, once reserved for nobility and temples, and now reimagined for modern life.

At Olinston, we carry this legacy forward. Our lacquer art pieces are made in limited quantities and available by custom order only. Lacquer-bead jewellery is handcrafted in small batches, with select ready-to-ship pieces available.

What we create is not just worn — it is lived with, passed on, felt in the quiet.

Not trend, but timelessness.
Not perfection, but patina.
Not loud, but lasting.

We are not just a brand.
We are a language — of quiet elegance, thoughtful ritual, and the East reimagined.

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