Rosewood includes several species of Jacaranda trees (jacaranda) belonging to the bignonium family and the Dalbergia (dalbergia) species of the legume family, whose wood is considered precious. Sometimes these species are called rosewood, which is an inaccurate descriptive name.
Rosewood Species
Rosewood is a special type of wood, characterized by high hardness, resistance to the negative effects of external factors and pests, wear resistance, decorative and aesthetic qualities. This material is one of the rarest and most expensive in the world. The trees that give it grow on the territory of some states of the Middle East, in Indonesia, India, South America.
A characteristic feature of these trees is considered to be extremely slow growth - a full-fledged mature trunk has been forming for about 200 years, which does not allow you to quickly breed these valuable species. In diameter, such species reach from 30 to 150 cm, the average height is up to 12–25 m. Broad-leaved species of dalbergia are planted on plantations or near the terraces of houses to create shade. Freshly cut logs produce a specific, pleasant floral aroma of essential oil, which disappears some time after processing. Wide wastefulness and great demand for rosewood led to the almost complete disappearance of many species of trees. The refined taste of connoisseurs in the past did not allow even the smallest green shades in the finished material, with suspected marriage such parquet was mercilessly destroyed. Considering that restoration of valuable trees requires more than one century, it is clear why they have become rare and protected by law. Many breeds are prohibited from being exported from the countries in which they grow.
Types, properties and qualities of wood
Rosewood refers to sound types of wood. The sapwood of these breeds is thin - from 3 to 15 cm, depending on the diameter of the trunk, has a whitish or light yellow color and is much less appreciated, since it does not have the necessary technical and decorative qualities. The shade of the core varies from golden to brick, burgundy or dark chocolate, often has contrasting purple or darker streaks. The color scheme of "rosewood" is diverse. It is noticed that older rosewood is darker, with time its color is able to become even more saturated. The wood has almost no shine, its natural surface is matte. The structure is coarse-fibered, almost homogeneous.
Types of rosewood differ depending on the species of wood. The most famous include the following:
- Indian rosewood - from a variety of dalbergia latifolia growing on the Indian subcontinent, it is grown on special plantations, a popular trade name is sonokeling;
- royal - from the Brazilian tree "jacaranda violetta", which is valuable for the manufacture of crafts;
- Cocobolo from the breed “Dalbergia retus” of Mexican or Panamanian origin, it is distinguished by the ability to transfuse shades in the product, it is extremely rare in free sale;
- Amazonian rosewood - of Brazilian origin, sometimes found in industry in limited quantities.
In terms of hardness and strength, the rosewood is almost 1.5 times superior to oak and resembles an ebony tree. Fresh wood is dried quickly and sparingly to avoid surface cracks. Volumetric shrinkage is small, about 8%. After processing, the hardness of the material doubles. Its density is from 800 to 1000 kg / cu. m. Sawing, cutting, drilling and turning with hand and mechanical tools, rosewood is difficult to do, which is the reason for frequent blunting and breaking of work surfaces. The tree owes this quality to the high content of calcareous deposits in the fibers. In this regard, wood is similar to ivory. The material does not need to be painted and etched, since it is unique in itself. A popular method of surface treatment is priming with colorless compounds and polishing with various high-quality waxes, giving it a soft shine and emphasizing nobleness. Bonding material tolerates well. Fasteners in wood, due to their strength and hardness, hold perfectly. Both solid wood and valuable wood veneer are successfully used. Using different directions of the cut, products that are magnificent in saturation and pattern are obtained from the material.
The biostability of the rosewood is one of the best. Neither fungusnor bark beetles, nor termites are capable of hitting precious wood, unable to cope with it.
Application
The scope of use of the rosewood, despite its unique qualities, is narrow. Rarity and high cost have long made this material available to far from all. Piece parquet was made from it in palaces and houses of nobility, details of musical instruments, furniture elements, interior walls, figurines, and collection chess, caskets, and jewelry were cut out. Artists used rosewood plates as source material for creating miniatures. It can serve for hundreds of years, without deforming, not cracking, not giving in to spoilage or decay.
In the modern world, the sphere of application of valuable material can be considered the manufacture of finishes in extra-class vehicles: limousine salons, yacht cabins and liners. Cases and vultures of expensive guitars are made from rosewood, the handles of collection knives are turned.
Despite the enviable strength, moisture resistance and other excellent characteristics required in construction, it is certainly not necessary to talk about the widespread use of rosewood in it. It is difficult to imagine how much it would cost to put window frames in the house or to lay floors from it. Wood is used as a valuable ornamental material and is an invariable indicator of luxury and exquisite taste for owners of any items from it.
Taking advantage of the fact that rosewood is a desirable material for collectors and lovers of luxury, scammers who sell wood give cheaper species as valuable species: Bolivian rosewood, wenge, masasubu, chetem, kulupai and other tropical varieties. To distinguish imitation from the original, a true expert is able to deal with rosewood in practice. Focusing only on the structure and color scheme of lumber, you can easily be deceived. Externally, expensive and cheap breeds are similar, but the quality and durability of the latter are significantly lower.
A true rosewood becomes so rare due to many circumstances that it can only be found in shadow markets or in Asian or South American stores in places where trees grow. In Europe, parquet and other rosewood decoration materials are officially banned for sale. A significant role in this is played by the danger of the disappearance of valuable species.