Past Perfect: Lalique's Cabochon Ring

There are the poisson figurines and Art Nouveau perfume bottles and magnificent vases and decorative sculptures, but for many, the enduring emblem of Lalique’s transcendence is its iconic cabochon ring Whimsical and sculptural, it blends bits of Art Nouveau and Art Deco in a petite design of carved crystal, rounded and sensuous in shape, and sometimes finished with fluted detailing or a hand-painted wash of shimmering patina. The cabochon ring remains one of Lalique’s most recognizable designs, and the house has just released it in five new colors—a soft palette reminiscent of semiprecious gemstones like rose quartz, moonstone, and amazonite. Originally designed in 1931 by founder René Lalique, the cabochon ring was borne from a visit to the French town of Chartres—“to see the most beautiful blue in the world,” according the memoirs of Nicole Maritch-Haviland, Lalique’s granddaughter (The blue in question refers to the hue on display in the famous cathedral’s. Source