Preciosa brings to design a dimension that wood rarely offers: scent. Its deep brown is accompanied by a warm fragrance, with notes of cinnamon and clove, that lingers in the piece long after it was made. The color is not static either: under light, certain areas open into golden, shimmering tones, and the glow shifts with the angle and the time of day. The grain draws movement over this luminous base, giving each piece an unrepeatable mark. This aroma arises from compounds rare in nature, among them 1-nitro-2-phenylethane, one of the very few naturally occurring nitro compounds. Under ultraviolet light, the wood surprises further, emitting a greenish fluorescence that only this light reveals. Over time, the fragrance settles and the brown deepens its richness. Alive and aromatic, Preciosa does not occupy a space, it awakens it.
Also known as: Preciosa, Casca-preciosa, Louro-precioso, Amapaima, Canelinha
Scientific name: Aniba canelilla (Kunth) Mez
Family: Lauraceae
Native to: Brazilian Amazon (Amazonas, Pará, Acre); also found in Guyana, Venezuela, Peru and Colombia.
Mature tree height: Up to 115 feet.
Trunk diameter: Up to 2 feet.