René Lalique began his career in 1885 as a jewellery designer, and within a few years became one of the most renowned jewellers of the Art Nouveau style. Today, the same dedication is applied to every crystal piece made by Lalique. Some of them, like these bottle stoppers, are gilded with gold. Using a brush, the gilder applies a paste made of 24-carat fine gold 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, a polishing with an agate stone brings out all the details.