Repair & Restoration: When Damage Happens

No matter how careful you are, accidents happen. A knock, a drop, a careless moment. The good news: the ceramic world has a thousand-year-old philosophy for damage — and some of the most beautiful repairs are themselves art. Here's your guide to Jian Zhan repair.

Minor Issues You Can Handle

Dull glaze / lost shine: Usually just tea residue. Boil the cup in clean water for 10 minutes, cool slowly, and wipe with a soft cloth. If residue persists, a paste of baking soda applied gently — then thoroughly rinsed — will lift it without scratching.
Fine crazing (hairline cracks in the glaze): Cosmetic only, and often considered beautiful. If you want to arrest it, dry the cup completely and apply a thin layer of food-grade beeswax to the interior, then buff. This seals the crazing and protects the body.

Structural Damage

Chipped rim: A small chip doesn't affect function. Options: keep it as a mark of character (many collectors do), or have a professional smooth the edge. We don't recommend DIY sanding on a valuable piece.
Cracked body: A through-crack compromises the vessel. The traditional answer is kintsugi — repairing with gold-infused lacquer. A cracked cup repaired in kintsugi becomes a new work of art, its damage honored rather than hidden. Professional kintsugi is expensive ($100-300) but transforms the piece into a conversation object.
Broken in half: Beyond practical repair, but not beyond artistic redemption — kintsugi masters can reassemble. Consider it before discarding.

When to Contact Us

If your Porcelainess piece arrives damaged, contact us within 48 hours with photos — we replace it at our cost. For damage that occurs later, we're happy to advise on repair options or connect you with restoration studios. A well-cared-for Jian Zhan should last centuries. Read our guarantee →