What Is Lightning-Struck Wood?

There is a category of wood Chinese carvers prize above almost any other: leiji mu — lightning-struck wood. The tree has to survive the strike. The wood has to cure for years. And the bead has to keep the burn figure, or it is just jujube.

This strand pairs storm-darkened jujube beads with cool crystal spacers — the talisman and the sparkle. Worn plain or stacked, it reads less like jewellery and more like a story you can hold.