From Atelier to Art: inside Daum’s centuries-old crystal craft

As Vanessa Sitbon, Daum’s chief brand and creative, shares, “After days of firing, when the mould is broken and the crystal emerges, it feels like witnessing a birth. Each piece is unique, and that first glimpse never loses its magic.”

Daum revived the ancient technique of pâte de verre—a method of glassmaking in which finely ground glass is mixed with a binder and carefully packed into a mould before being fired in a kiln—in 1968, developing its own variation known as pâte de cristal.

Unlike blown glass, where colour is applied to the surface, pâte de cristal incorporates pigment within the substance itself, producing depth and translucency that no other method achieves. Each finished piece is the result of a slow process that beautifully fuses artistry and chemistry in equal measure.

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From the start, Daum’s story has been defined by collaboration. Since the late 19th century, the maison has worked with more than 400 artists, sculptors and designers, including Salvador Dalí, César, and Philippe Starck. These collaborations have allowed the brand to expand what crystal can express, while also keeping its production rooted in its Nancy workshops.

Sitbon believes this exchange is key to Daum’s creative identity. “Collaboration keeps art alive within the object,” she says. “It allows us to explore new shapes, colours and stories while remaining faithful to the essence of craftsmanship.”

Every stage of production, from modelling and moulding to casting and finishing, is carried out by hand. Each piece in the limited-edition collection is produced in set quantities and comes signed and numbered to ensure authenticity.

This attention to craft gives Daum’s work permanence and weight. Collectors worldwide are drawn to its handmade, limited-edition crystal sculptures, which meld technical mastery and artistic expression. Each creation carries a distinct character shaped by the artisan’s touch. In a world shaped by mass production, Daum continues to champion the handmade as a mark of integrity.

Recent collections show how Daum continues to expand its artistic vocabulary while staying true to its foundations. The Shalmara Elephant, produced in a limited edition of 25, combines crystal casting with hand-applied gold leaf. Inspired by Indian art, it portrays the elephant as a symbol of wisdom and prosperity, demonstrating how the maison uses material and scale to convey cultural meaning.

Tutti Frutti, created with French designer Gilles Neveu, captures the distinct forms of tropical fruits such as dragonfruit, starfruit, pomegranate, banana, and sugar apple faithfully. Entirely cast using the lost-wax method, the collection showcases Daum’s command of colour and texture, turning familiar objects into contemporary studies of form and light.

The Jardin de Lotus collection revisits Daum’s art nouveau roots through a modern sensibility. Inspired by the lotus flower’s association with purity and renewal, its vases and centrepieces employ layered colours and sculptural detailing that capture the stillness of a flower in bloom.

Through these collaborations, Daum continues to push the limits of its medium. Sitbon describes the process as an ongoing search for balance between heritage and innovation. Each partnership adds a new vocabulary to the material while preserving the values that define the brand.

From the furnaces of Nancy to showrooms around the world, Daum’s objects continue to reflect the maison’s conviction that craftsmanship can be both progressive and timeless. As Sitbon concludes: “When light caresses the crystal and the colours awaken, it is the moment you realise you are holding a fragment of eternity.”

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