Black Lacquer with a diamond lattice in Snow White, overlaid with thin Antique Gold cross-hatching.
3 bottles: Black Lacquer, Snow White and Antique Gold. Black Lacquer against Snow White is a hard contrast, so the motif reads from across a room, and any wobble in the line reads with it. The bottles are not all the same finish (crème and chrome), so the pattern picks up light differently from the ground.
On a stiletto the nail narrows the whole way, so the pattern reads as tapering with it, which is worth allowing for before the first stroke.
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Bottles for this nail
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How to paint Black Lacquer Argyle nails
- 1 Buff, dehydrate and base coat, then cure. Two coats of Black Lacquer. A dark base shows every ridge, so the ridge-filling base coat matters more than usual here.
- 2 Block the Snow White diamonds first, cure, then rule the Antique Gold crossing lines over them.
- 3 Gloss top coat, cure, then cuticle oil once it is out of the lamp.
Questions about Black Lacquer Argyle
Is Black Lacquer Argyle hard to do at home?
It is the hardest tier on the site. It is doable at home, but the technique is the point rather than the colour. Budget an hour or more for a full set, and three colours means three chances for something to bleed, so cure between each one rather than working wet on wet.
What polish do I need for Black Lacquer Argyle?
3 bottles: Black Lacquer (crème), Snow White (crème) and Antique Gold (chrome). Plus a base coat and a gloss top coat, which every design here assumes you already have.
Does Black Lacquer Argyle work on short nails?
Stiletto needs length, because the point is most of the shape. On a short nail it files down to something closer to almond, and the design still reads, just less sharply.
Do I need a UV lamp for Black Lacquer Argyle?
Yes. Antique Gold only works as a gel — the effect depends on rubbing or setting the finish into a cured tacky layer, which air-dry polish never gives you.