Introducing Stefano Ricci Home Collection– CRYSTAL LINE

The sophisticated SR HOME Crystal line is made of the highest quality of fine crystal, both hand worked and decorated by Florentine artisans. In its current collection, STEFANO RICCI features five exclusive decors, all of which may be engraved, hand decorated or ground. These exclusive decors come in four different models of elegant crystal glassware - Signoria, Tornabuoni, Pitti and Princess – along with various table and home ornaments.

The Soft Cashmere, Chisel and Tuscan Leaves decors feature elegant curves, exclusively hand engraved with a meticulous attention to the smallest details, making each piece unique. The true secret of the SR HOME fine decorations is the artisanal craftsmanship behind them. Once drawn by hand on the actual surface of the crystal, the design is engraved with the help of a traditional artisan stone burr. This delicate technique gives the design a beautiful opaque effect, thus creating a contrast with the brilliant surface of the crystal. Once the entire composition is completed, the final phase of this complicated and delicate decoration process requires the piece to be washed and polished by hand with cork and pumice, in full compliance with the Florentine craftsmanship traditions.

All of the engraved decors can be further enriched with liquid gold or platinum. These exquisite pieces come about when artisans hand paint the previously engraved pattern on the surface of the crystal with a soft brush. Adding incredibly delicate gold or platinum details to crystal demand skill and sensibilities which can only be achieved through constant practice. Once painted, the crystals are then fired in a special oven for several hours at about 700 °C. This process fixes the precious metals on the crystal surface, transforming the objects into true pieces of art.

Two of the most precious decors in the collection are Diamond Dazzle and Princess, both of which are created with ground techniques. This process takes four different steps which the artisans execute with great mastery and patience. First, each crystal must be ground with a carborundum burr which sculpts the desired shapes in depth. Once the rough outlines of the composition are finished, all of the details are designed with a classic stone burr – the same used to engrave the crystals. With the stone burr, the artisans finish the designing process, leaving the ground surface opaque. The crystals must then be smoothed and polished with a cork and pumice and shined with cerium oxide powder. This final step allows the crystals to become as brilliant as real diamonds.

All of the STEFANO RICCI Crystal line is made by the hands of expert Florentine artisans who day by day create unique and precious objects with sparkling souls like crystals.