Marble Effect Gold Rim Mug

Marbled glaze is unpredictable by nature, which is why it works so well on a mug: the veining runs differently on every piece, so a set of four looks related rather than identical. Here the pattern is fired into the ceramic in soft grey and cream, then finished with a thin band of gold at the rim and around the handle - just enough metal to lift it without tipping into the ornamental.

Two profiles do genuinely different jobs. The tall version holds a long coffee or a generous tea and keeps it warm longer through the narrower opening; the short, wider cup suits a flat white, a cappuccino or a small breakfast coffee where you want the drink close to the surface. Black and white bodies both carry the veining, with black reading as more dramatic under kitchen lighting.

A matching gold-finished spoon can be added if you want the set to arrive complete, or left out if you already have cutlery you like. Because of the gold detailing these must be washed by hand and must never go in a microwave - metal trim and microwaves do not mix. Avoid abrasive scourers, which will wear the band at the rim.

• Marbled ceramic mug with a fine gold rim and handle detail
• Tall or short profile, in black or white
• Optional matching gold-finished spoon
• Veining varies between individual pieces
• Hand wash only - never microwave, the gold trim is metallic
• Avoid abrasive scourers, which wear the gold band