A unique crystal vase designed by Tamara Ralph - Daum brand

This impressive Magnum vase measures 58 cm in height and weighs 27 kg. Its original shape, reminiscent of a “mermaid” gown, references Haute Couture creations and elegant evening silhouettes. It embodies a fusion of Daum’s Art Nouveau DNA and the modern feminine universe of the designer.

This exceptional piece required nearly 500 hours of work. Made using the lost-wax casting technique, each vase spends over 17 days in kilns before being carefully finished. The draping is extraordinary, capturing lightness, fluidity, and movement. The subtle blending of three shades of pink creates a unique color, delicately nuanced in a powder pink hue.

Daum is a brand of the highest quality craftsmanship combined with a passion for creating luxurious objects.

Discover the history

Daum, the legendary glassmaker, has maintained close relationships with the greatest artists of his time for over a century, giving their works a second life in crystal and color. From École de Nancy, through Art Nouveau, to decorative arts, from Majorelle to Dalí, Arman, and Hilton McConnico, Daum has never missed a magical encounter between artistic creativity and modern knowledge, continually renewing the marriage of art and true craftsmanship.

Few brands have collaborated with so many artists: over 140 years, more than 350 exceptional autographs have created an unparalleled legacy—a unique collection of its kind.

How can we translate these works into crystal sculptures? Here is Daum’s secret: a creator of extraordinary objects, highly skilled artisans, a laboratory of wonders, and a designer of beautiful objects.

Creation Methods

The crystal paste technique is rare and very ancient. It appeared as early as 5000 BC (found in the tombs of pharaohs). Long forgotten, it was rediscovered by Daum in 1900 and further developed in 1968. This process is extremely delicate. Products made by combining pieces of crystal in a mold are characterized by graininess, materiality, and soft contours that cannot be achieved with blown glass.

Daum’s specialty, copied but never matched—the crystal paste—is a precious material that gives the object a sculptural dimension and continues to evolve. Crystal paste has the unique property of imparting transparency to the shapes it recreates. The shine of this material, the intensity of colors, and the subdued shades give it an unmistakable character.

Crystal paste contains nearly 30% lead. The material is produced from specially prepared crystal in kilns. Several factors influence the final color: weighing of materials, mixture proportions, chemical reactions of certain minerals and metals, temperature increase, and kiln cooling.

Thanks to Daum’s lost-wax casting method and the crystal casting process, reproducing the original is perfect and aligns with the artist’s vision. Currently, Daum is the only crystal manufacturer in the world capable of creating this exceptional material with such precise mastery. Crystal paste is a substance that has evolved for over a century, adapting to the whims of glassmaking masters’ imagination. It is through mastery and ongoing research that world-renowned masterpieces are born.