White Gold

Making Limoges porcelain is a long process guided by the skilled hands of craftsmen who have mastered rare, centuries-old techniques, and adapted them to the new needs of the industry, ensuring that it is more than ever synonymous with prestige and innovation.

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Limoges porcelain is famous the world over. Created 250 years ago, it is unique thanks to its history, quality, creativity and the techniques linked to its production. Located in west central France, the city of Limoges itself is at the heart of a land of opulent forests, fresh waters and generous white clay, which are ingredients necessary for making porcelain.

Although porcelain originated in China, its presence in Limoges can be explained by the discovery of a kaolin deposit of stunning purity in 1768. Hundreds of manufactures – such as Bernardaud (today representing 80 per cent of production in Limoges), Haviland and Royal Limoges – were established thereafter, making Limoges a hub of the French porcelain-making industry. It has amassed specific skills and production processes that haven’t stopped evolving, as pastes have become lighter, thinner and stronger.

The singularity of Limoges porcelain lies in the convergence of its unexpected properties, which have traditionally associated it with tableware: pure whiteness, delicacy, hardness, durability, translucency, impermeability, crystal line sonority, ease of cleaning, and the ability to withstand extreme temperatures. Inalterable once fired, it is impervious to air, water, humidity and time. Belonging to the ceramics family of earthenware, stoneware, bone china and terracotta, porcelain is also regarded as the most prestigious of its category.

Labour of love

Resulting from the subtle alchemy among various mineral components fired successively at very high temperatures, the realisation of a piece of Limoges porcelain requires nearly 30 steps combining state-of-the-art techniques and artisanal virtuosity.