MURIELLE COUQUEBERG

The quality controller selects pieces in order to remove those that do not meet Baccarat’s criteria of prestige. It is a role that requires seeing with your fingertips. I honed mine by starting at the company with sandblasted engraving. Now, what I enjoy most is discovering the clarity of completed pieces, and especially hearing the crystal sing, that special sound. Creations pass through my hands while they are barely out of the furnace, in their raw state. I have a vivid memory of my arrival twenty years ago and my visit to the glassmakers’ workshops, the light that suddenly appears when they open the fire, and the gestures that give the impression of being so simple when they are the ones doing them! Since we inspect thousands of pieces per week – chandeliers, carafes, jewelry, gobs, moldings –, it only takes a few dozen seconds to detect any abnormalities. I examine crystal relative to aesthetic references and technical data sheets, I check for clefts, the presence of pebbles or air bubbles, as well as burrs or micro cracks. Using calipers and other tools, I measure the thickness of certain pieces to make sure they fulfill our norms. At Baccarat, mutual aid is essential, and if we have the slightest hesitation, we are fortunate to be able to rely on the expertise of other craftsmen.

© Trafalgar Maison de Portraits & Romain Chambodut