In 1885, at the age of 16, René Lalique became an apprentice jeweller. Some twenty years later, he was one of the most famous jewellers in Paris thanks to his creativity. Today, the same care is taken with every crystal piece made by Lalique. Some of them, like these Orchidées decanter stoppers, are gilded with fine gold. Using a brush, the decorator applies a 24-carat gold-based paste mixed with a bonding agent and a binder. An annealing at 860°F (460°C) is then carried out in order to fix the gilding. Once the piece has cooled down, a polishing with an agate stone brings out all the details.