Lalique Large Rose Nebula Zeila Panther

If you stand on a particular spot on South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, you may be lucky enough to witness les nébuleuses – that is, the nebulas, interstellar wonderlands that feature swirling ribbons of vapour and shimmering dust, often bathed in ethereal pink. Rendered at the hands of Lalique’s skilled craftsmen, the Zeila Panther sculpture – originally conceived in 1989 – pays homage to this visual phenomenon.

To achieve the perfect hues and patterns for this particular aesthetic, Lalique employs a luster technique whereby a mist made from precious metals including yellow gold is sprayed over the crystal. The design is then annealed in an oven to allow the gold particles to be activated by heat, and the crystal itself takes on the pink hue to create the celestial Rose Nebula effect.