Simply Abu Dhabi VIII

Baccarat:the light of luxury Since 1764 the Baccarat brand has stood for fantasy, luxury and sensuality T he world’s greatest creative artists have always been fascinated by light. Light not only transforms and makes visible the world we live in. It is the very source of that world. What a privilege it must be to use the power of light to bring beauty into the people’s lives. That’s the pleasure that since 1764 has been bestowed upon Baccarat – the most renowned crystal factory in the world, and maker of some of the most desirable chandeliers and candelabras ever to be created. Baccarat’s story Baccarat’s story begins in the middle of the Enlightenment, in the eighteenth century. The venture started with an act of generosity: to save a population threatened with poverty after a logging company closed down. Bishop Louis de Montmorency-Laval of Metz decided to found a glassworks in Baccarat – a very worldly undertaking for the diocese. A beautiful forested area rich in silica, the Lorraine had long been a glassworks region, producing large glass items, such as mirrors and window panes, as well as utility pieces like bottles and tumblers. The wise King Louis XV authorised the creation of a factory opposite the village of Baccarat, on the right bank of the Meurthe River. Launched in 1764, the glassworks rapidly became “the most beautiful establishment in Europe”. Soon after, under the influence of Parisian Aimé- Gabriel d’Artigues, it began producing crystal glass. The year was 1816. The Napoleonic Empire had collapsed after Waterloo. The extravagant French society during the Restoration was partial to decorum and pomp: everything had to shine, including light, which gleamed and sparkled in restaurants and mansions. The audacious Baccarat innovations echoed the reigning festive spirit and changing lifestyle. Following the custom introduced by the king of using a complete service of glasses during meals, the first sets of Baccarat stemware began to appear on the best tables in the kingdom. In 1823, the Baccarat crystal factory won the gold medal at the National Exhibition of French Industrial Products. Dazzled by their finish and beauty, Louis XVIII ordered a set of stemware from the crystal glassworks factory. This ushered in a period of prestigious commissions from Rajasthani maharajahs, the Japanese Imperial Court, Arabian kings and leaders of the Ottoman Empire, not to mention the Russian court, for which one of the furnaces of the glassworks was specifically reserved. Baccarat had achieved incomparable prestige. The combination of technical innovation, bold design and constant collaboration among the highly skilled craftsmen (glassblowers, glasscutters and engravers) and the company’s engineers bore fruit: in 1839 Baccarat launched sumptuous crystal pieces in colour. Obtained by adding gold, ruby red – the colour of passion and the symbol of life – was a brilliant breakthrough for Baccarat and a dramatic aesthetic achievement that has enchanted Baccarat fans for 150 years. Other famous shades in the Baccarat palette include exquisite sky blue, pink, chalcedony green, parrot green, cobalt blue, amethyst and amber. These colours were used in endless variations for perfume bottles and for jewellery a century later. By 1840 the rival crystal factory of Bohemia had been left far behind by the beauty and originality of the Baccarat colours. The illustrious Harcourt service with six flat facets was created in 1841. The purity and magic of the light emanating from the heart of the crystal made Harcourt an instant success and one of Baccarat’s signature patterns. Another iconic design, the famous black crystal, known as “onyx,” has been produced since the mid-nineteenth century. It is difficult to make: five components are added to the 2 2 9 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I