At Lalique, the pottery workshop produces only fireclay crucibles (or pots) for the crystal factory pot furnace. The clay used is a highly pure mixture of alumina and silica from the Bordeaux region. The bottom of the crucible is made in criss-cross layers using a template; the walls are then assembled by hand, without a mould. The production of a pot takes about a month. The pots are then dried for 9 to 12 months in a hot chamber. Before being introduced into the melting furnace, the pot is put into a kiln for a week to be preheated