Fine China Information

Fine china is made of porcelain.

Fine china is dinnerware that is made of porcelain. Colloquially, however, the term is used as a catch-all to describe all dishes and dinnerware, regardless of quality or how it is created. In addition to true fine chine, there are four other major types of dishware: bone china, earthenware, stoneware and porcelain.

Bone China

Bone China is a dinnerware material made of clay and bone ash. This makeup creates a white, almost translucent piece of china.

Earthenware

Purchased both glazed and unglazed, earthenware is the oldest form of dinnerware. Because of a high level of impurities within its makeup, earthenware is extremely fragile.

Fine China

True fine china is made of porcelain. The better the quality, the more durable the piece will be. Fine china is both microwave and dishwasher safe, unless there is a metallic decoration.

Stoneware

Stoneware is incredibly durable, typically dishwasher and microwave safe. This is because it is created through the use of high heat.

Porcelain

Porcelain dinnerware is also dishwasher and microwave safe. Created in a kiln at its highest temperature setting, porcelain resists bacteria growth.

References

• Common Types of Dishware