Chinese - Jewelled Fingernail Guards

brillstereo

Within elite Qing Chinese culture, exceptionally long fingernails could be a very visible sign of status: essentially, if you could maintain nails several centimetres long, you clearly weren’t expected to undertake manual labour.

To modern Western eyes they may look rather Nosferatu, but historically this was an established aesthetic among wealthy and high-status women (and men).

And, of course, growing extremely long nails creates another problem: how do you stop them breaking?

The answer was the fingernail guard - zhijiatao / huzhi - an elongated protective sheath that could itself become an extraordinary piece of jewellery. Surviving Qing examples were made in silver, gilded metal and elaborate filigree, sometimes decorated with flowers, jade, pearls or other ornamentation.

They also weren’t simply a single decorative claw worn on one finger. Guards were commonly worn on the ring and little fingers, often as pairs, with more elaborate variations depending on status.

Which brings me to DAZ.

We have kimonos (Japanese, not Chinese), Hanfu, Qing-inspired clothing, gazebos, temples, jewellery, elaborate hair ornaments and practically every imaginable fantasy accessory…

…but apparently no proper set of Chinese/Qing jewelled fingernail guards.

A Genesis 9 set - ideally also G8/8.1 - with left/right versions, ring- and little-finger fittings, several lengths and interchangeable materials such as gold, silver, jade, pearl and filigree would fill a genuine historical gap in the store.

It would also be useful well beyond historical renders: fantasy, aristocratic characters, ceremonial costumes and stylised jewellery scenes could all use them.

Surely one of DAZ’s talented jewellery creators fancies making a set?

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/hlw4x9ke4b3jk649zafk6/AHmH3BCBeVxFqOyC5ED8QLc?rlkey=iji5rqynzkyrzbv4248p8esw8&st=oprbsehw&dl=0