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Baccarat, 250 years of french Art de ViVre

Since 1764 Baccarat has written the chapters of its remarkable history in sparkling letters. Founded in Lorraine, by permission of King Louis XV, the world’s most famous Crystalworks has, over the ages, become a symbol of superb craftsmanship and French Art de Vivre. The name Baccarat reverberates like an echo of outstanding pieces, extraordinary places and unforgettable parties.

Baccarat reflects 250 years of History. Looking back over its past is like embarking on a round-the-world journey through time, across over two centuries of political, cultural and economic life, from the dawn of the industrial age in the 19th century to the advent of globalisation in the 21st century. As a pioneer in its field, Baccarat has always encapsulated current trends in creating the classics of tomorrow.

The order book of the most prestigious requests reads like an encyclopaedia of History. In France, Baccarat received its first royal commission in 1823 when Louis XVIII ordered a glass service to be produced specially for him. Charles X, Louis-Philippe, Napoleon III and a host of Presidents and Heads of State would soon follow suit. The Juvisy service, engraved with the monogram RF for République Française, has adorned state banquets at the Elysée Palace since 1899. Baccarat soon earned a solid international reputation: from the furniture pieces produced for Indian maharajahs, to the majestic Tsar chandelier created for Nicholas II, from the exquisite commissions for the Japanese imperial court, to the sheer purity of the water glasses engraved with the initials of the American President F.D. Roosevelt, Baccarat crystal has cast its lustre all over the world as the embodiment of the most precious symbol of French Art de Vivre.

Baccarat’s prestigious pieces, which met with great acclaim and won a number of prizes at the various Paris Universal Exhibitions since 1867, to this day illuminate the most outstanding palaces and locations around the world. These range from the impressive collection of chandeliers for the Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul, to the pieces commissioned by Napoleon III for his royal apartments in the Louvre and the Tuileries. Baccarat has never ceased to amaze, turning every instant into a rare and precious moment.

In addition to seducing such personalities as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Prince Aga Khan III, Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco, Josephine Baker and Aristotle Onassis, Baccarat’s designs immortalise both the elegance and excellence of its craftsmanship. This know-how is at the forefront of progress, handed down over the centuries by elite craftsmen and the symbol of an incomparable heritage. Inspired by alchemists’ elemental secrets, glassblowers, cutters, engravers and gilders put their peerless talent to the service of perfection. Each timeless work of art takes us on an exciting journey through light and creativity. Each carafe, glass, vase, flacon, every chandelier embodies an ultimate promise, an experience to be lived and first and foremost shared.

As with the Harcourt glass, created in 1841, and now famous for its majestic silhouette, Baccarat’s creations are the vector of a history whose strength lies in its ability to convey the magic of light reflected into infinity. It is this brilliance that magnifies the Maisons Baccarat in Paris and Moscow as well as the first Baccarat Hotel & Residences, which will open in New York in 2014.

For 250 years Baccarat has been the icon of exquisite moments of celebration and has created truly unforgettable experiences.

Baccarat Crystal

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