A thin layer of black opaque porcelain is overlaid on top of the white translucent porcelain, and then, through a stencil, we sandblasted the black away revealing the white underneath. This works great with an LED type electri candle, and is also safe with a real wax candle, if used with a glass votive cup. Sadly, this piece is no longer in production, so once they are gone, they are gone!