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The world of materials
Do you already have a clear idea of the design of your dream dinnerware, the perfect flatware or your new favorite glass, but no idea what material it should be made of? With our introduction to the world of dinnerware materials, you are already one important step ahead! Discover the differences and learn all about the advantages of each material.
Dinnerware sets
A comparison of dinnerware materials: every dinnerware material has its advantages and disadvantages, which need to be carefully weighed up when purchasing dinnerware. Ultimately, it is a question of where and how you expect to use your dinnerware.
Premium Porcelain
Villeroy & Boch has combined the finest porcelain with the outstanding properties of Vitro porcelain, and special additives produce it in a clean shade of white. Thanks to its dense kiln-fired body, premium porcelain is particularly resistant to breakage and chipping and can easily withstand light knocks. Due to these practical and aesthetic advantages, Villeroy & Boch manufactures the majority of its dinnerware collections in ‘Premium Porcelain.’ It is just as popular in private households as it is in the catering trade.
Features:
- white color
- particularly break- and edge-resistant
- dishwasher safe and microwave safe
- matches many styles
Premium bone porcelain
Premium bone porcelain (also known as bone china) is considered the finest of all porcelains, and is produced with special calcined bovine bone ash and other raw materials. This fusion creates the inimitable white of the porcelain and its translucent effect, combined with a soft sheen and radiant, colorful decorations. The particular hardness of bone ash makes fine premium bone porcelain particularly resistant to breakage.
Features:
- high degree of whiteness and soft sheen
- special reflective Features
- translucency
- high mechanical strength
- microwave/ dishwasher safe (except precious metal motifs)
Care instructions
Precious metal decorations in gold, silver and platinum are not completely resistant to mechanical, chemical and thermal influences in the dishwasher. Villeroy & Boch therefore recommends treating dinnerware sets with care, in accordance with its value and exclusive appearance.
We generally recommend hand washing porcelain dinnerware with mild detergents.
Earthenware
Like porcelain, earthenware belongs to the large group of ceramics. However, earthenware can only be fired at low temperatures, making the material somewhat more brittle and less robust than porcelain. The special feel exudes a handcrafted charm and, thanks to the special reactive glaze, can create a wide variety of differing color gradients.
Features:
- dishwasher-safe
- microwave-safe
- A dinnerware material that fits perfectly with the country house style.
Glass
Glasses come in all shapes and colors, and there is a huge range of items to choose from. With craftsmanship and artistic skill, many beautiful objects can be made from glass and crystal. Villeroy & Boch complements its glassware collections with a wide variety of other glass and crystal items in equally perfect form and quality.
Crystal glass
Crystal glass is renowned for the clear high-pitch sound obtained when one runs a finger around a glass. The term crystal is derived from rock crystal (transparent quartz), which has a higher potash content than glass.
Features:
- high transparency, clarity and sparkle
- without added lead oxide
- Crystal glass has a sheen comparable to lead crystal, but is much lighter.
Borosilicate glass
Borosilicate glass is a high-quality material used in laboratories and increasingly at home. It is characterized by very low thermal expansion and a resistance to high temperatures.
Features:
- Heat resistance: Conventional glass shatters when exposed to heat. This is not the case with borosilicate glass, which is very resistant to thermal shock.
- Light and stable: Borosilicate glass is extremely stable and robust despite its light weight, which makes products made with borosilicate glass ideal when on the go (To Go/To Stay)
Care instructions
Glass and crystal are very sensitive to strong temperature fluctuations. You should therefore avoid exposing glass and crystal to very cold or very hot water. The thermal shock can cause the material to crack or burst.
Flatware
In addition to their elegant appearance, stainless steel flatware from Villeroy & Boch offers a whole range of benefits. Most of our stainless steel flatware is made of high-quality 18/10 stainless steel. Knife blades, however, are made of special blade steel which ensures that they always cut cleanly. All stainless steel alloys used are rustproof, tasteless and dishwasher-safe.
18/10 stainless steel
If you are looking for durable flatware that also meets your design requirements, then Villeroy & Boch stainless steel flatware is the right choice for you. Villeroy & Boch flatware is made of high-quality, stainless chrome-nickel steel (18/10).
Features:
- rustproof
- tasteless
- dishwasher safe
Gold-plated stainless steel
The gold-plated flatware collection from Villeroy & Boch translates urban modernity into pure elegance. In addition to its sophisticated appearance, our gold-plated stainless steel flatware offers a whole range of benefits, making it a perfect and eye-catching component of your table design.
Features:
- rustproof
- tasteless
- dishwasher safe