Bone China vs Porcelain | Comparison from 7 Perspectives
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When looking for plates or dinnerware, it’s essential to know the difference between bone china and porcelain. Doing so will enable you to make a well-informed choice about which is best. Bone china is more suited to fine spaces due to its delicate craftsmanship.
Its qualities supersede porcelain and will certainly make a statement at your dinner table. Therefore, knowing how to identify bone china and when to choose it will help you select the perfect dinnerware for your household.
What is Porcelain?
Porcelain is a type of ceramic ware or pottery that is white, hard, non-porous, and usually translucent.
Porcelain is made of:
- Feldspar, also called petuntse (a rock-forming aluminum tectosilicate mineral)
- Quartz (a crystalline silica mineral)
- Kaolin (an aluminosilicate soft white clay mineral)
There are two main types of porcelain:
- Hard-paste porcelain
- Soft-paste porcelain
The main difference between hard-paste and soft-porcelain is that hard-paste porcelain is fired to a high temperature in a kiln – usually 1400 °C (2552 °F). Soft-paste porcelain is usually fired to 1200 °C (2192 °F).
Due to the differences in firing temperatures, soft-paste porcelain is typically more granular and porous. On the other hand, hard-paste porcelain is less porous and robust.
Bone china falls within the category of soft-paste porcelain.
What is Bone China?
Bone china has a similar composition to porcelain. It consists of the following:
- Feldspar
- Quartz
- Kaolin
- Bone ash (a white material made up of calcium oxide and phosphorus pentoxide)
Due to its similar characteristics and composition, bone china is often classified as a type of porcelain, but there are some key differences which are worth noting.
Differences between Bone China and Porcelain
Several differences between bone china and porcelain will be covered below. However, the main differences are that bone china is thinner, lighter, and stronger than porcelain.
1. Appearance and Color
In terms of color, porcelain is bright white, whereas bone china is off-white. So, in comparison to porcelain, bone china has a slightly warmer hue.
Bone china is also more translucent than porcelain. Translucent means being semi-transparent. Some light can also pass through porcelain, but not to the same degree.
Lastly, another key difference in appearance is that bone china is more luminous. This means that its surface is shinier or has a slight sheen. Porcelain is somewhat luminous, although bone china typically stands out more in this regard.
2. Material
Material refers to composition. As mentioned previously, bone china and porcelain consist of feldspar, quartz, and kaolin. However, bone china has an extra compound, bone ash.
This difference is critical because bone ash provides bone china with several remarkable properties. For example, adding bone ash to your ceramic ware makes it lighter, thinner, and stronger. It also enables manufacturers to incorporate intricate designs into their products.
Just by comparing porcelain to bone china, you can see the difference bone ash makes.
3. History
The production of porcelain started in China and Japan and then spread to the Middle East and Europe. However, various companies in England, such as Spode, are believed to have incorporated bone ash into porcelain during the late 1700s to create bone china.
Today, manufacturers in China and Japan still create beautiful pieces of bone china and many are leading experts in the industry. While some manufacturers still remain in Europe, bone china is predominantly sourced from Asia.
4. Manufacturing process
The main difference with the manufacturing process is the temperature at which bone china and porcelain are heated during firing in a kiln. Bone china is fired at lower temperatures, typically around 1200 °C (2192 °F). In comparison, porcelain is fired at higher temperatures, typically around 1400 °C (2552 °F).
Other differences in the manufacturing process include the addition of reliefs. These are ornate, raised patterns or images that can be added to porcelain and bone china. With bone ash, bone china reliefs can have finer details and be more intricate. As a result, the manufacturing process of bone china usually involves more reliefs than porcelain.
5. Durability and strength
Bone china is the strongest type of porcelain. Because of this, it’s less prone to breaking or shattering.
While other types of porcelain have considerable strength, they are more likely to crack or chip, even through general wear and tear.
6. Weight
Because bone china is considerably thinner than porcelain, it’s also significantly lighter.
As a result, it’s easier to store and handle. However, despite being thinner, bone china’s strength is not compromised.
7. Price
Due to its higher quality, bone china does tend to be more expensive than porcelain.
The price of bone china simply reflects the work and craftsmanship that goes into creating each piece.
So overall, the price that you pay for bone china is a reflection of its quality.
How to Identify Bone China
The best way to identify bone china is by its appearance. In terms of color, it has an off-white, warm hue. It’s also fairly translucent, so if you hold a piece of bone china up to bright light, more light will pass through (this will be very noticeable in thin sections such as the rim of a plate). Another aspect of its appearance is that it looks shiny and softer on the surface.
Further key attributes of bone china are that it’s thinner, lighter, and stronger. So, the surface of bone china is typically harder, but it will feel lightweight.
Lastly, bone china looks more elegant and well-defined in general. That’s because a higher degree of craftsmanship goes into creating each piece.
When to Choose Bone China
Bone china is typically chosen for special occasions. It’s common for some households to reserve their best china for significant events. However, it’s becoming more common with everyday use. After all, bone china is highly durable due to its strength. So, it makes sense to invest in some low-key bone china to be used regularly because it will last longer than other types of porcelain.
Due to its lightweight and strength, bone china is also the preferred choice of tableware on aircraft or for travel. Especially first-class travel. Because of these features, it is easier to handle and is less likely to shatter during turbulence. The thinness of bone china is also helpful since more plates or dinnerware can be stacked in small places.
NARUMI's bone china collections
Professional collections
The professional collection is ideal for any chef who wants to make an impression. It’s an excellent choice for fine dining and there are many designs you can select from to suit your restaurant.
Home Collections
NARUMI has designed a range of different dinnerware sets which are ideal for the home. These vary from sets you could use comfortably on a daily basis, to ones you may want to reserve for a special occasion.
Whether you choose a dinnerware set for your home or someone else’s, it will certainly be cherished and enjoyed by everyone.
