A perfectly spherical Kynam bead is a structural masterpiece. To the untrained eye, it is a piece of dark jewelry. But to collectors in the Middle East and Kōdō masters in Japan, it is a highly concentrated vessel of active oleoresin. Understanding the microscopic anatomy of a Kynam bead is the key to understanding its astronomical value.
Deconstructing the Kynam Bead
Agarwood is composed of two primary elements: the host wood fibers (which are light, porous, and white) and the infected resin (which is heavy, dark, and aromatic). In Kynam, the ratio of resin to wood fiber is pushed to the absolute extreme.
1. The Surface Grain
Look closely at the surface of a genuine Kynam bead. You will not see a uniform, painted color. Instead, you will see alternating microscopic lines. The darker, almost black bands are pure oleoresin. The lighter bands are the tightly compressed wood fibers holding the resin together. In true Kynam, the resin lines are thick, bleeding into the wood matrix.
2. The Core Matrix
During the mechanical shaping process in our factory, the density of the core becomes apparent. Standard agarwood splinters easily on the lathe. Kynam, due to its massive oil content, shapes almost like a dense wax. The friction must be carefully controlled; too much heat during drilling will prematurely activate the highly volatile fragrance molecules.
The Physics of the "Sinking Grade"
Density is the ultimate metric for agarwood evaluation. Because water has a specific gravity of 1.0, and the white wood fibers of the Aquilaria tree have a specific gravity of around 0.4, standard wood floats. The pure oleoresin, however, is heavy. Only when the resin content crosses a critical threshold will the bead overcome the buoyancy of the wood and sink.
Floating Grade (Standard)
10% - 25% ResinVisible wood fibers dominate. Fragrance requires burning.
Half-Sinking / Suspended Grade
40% - 60% ResinThe bead dips below the surface but does not hit the bottom. Richer aroma.
Sinking Grade (True Kynam)
80% - 95%+ ResinThe Pinnacle. The oil completely saturates the pores. Sinks immediately like a stone. Emits ambient room-temperature fragrance.
The "No Wax" Final Polish
Because extreme density is so highly prized, the market is flooded with fakes. The most common manipulation is boiling low-grade beads in wax or synthetic oils to increase their weight so they pass the water test. This clogs the natural pores and destroys the authentic scent profile.
The final sorting process. The sheen on these beads comes entirely from their internal oils during friction buffing.
As a direct processor, we rely exclusively on natural friction polishing. We use the wood's own sawdust and pure water to buff the surface. The beautiful, dark luster you see on our Kynam beads is the raw oleoresin rising to the surface. It is the anatomy of the jungle, perfectly preserved for your collection.