King Louis the 15th of France gave Bishop de Montmorency-Laval of Metz permission to build a crystal factory in the village of Baccarat located in Lorraine, in Eastern France. That is how the Baccarat brand started.

The first crystal furnace went into operation at Baccarat in 1816, and within a few years Baccarat became the most famous crystal factory in France. Word then spread quickly throughout Europe.

After Baccarat won the Gold Medal at the first World's Fair in Paris, royals and nobility alike rushed to order Baccarat crystal works, including Louis the 18th of France, several maharajahs of India, the royal family of Japan, President Theodore Roosevelt, the King of Morocco, and countless others.

Early in the 19th century, Baccarat built a special 'Russian furnace' for the imperial court of Saint Petersburg. A special caravan traveled across Europe to deliver the precious crystal to the court.

Baccarat attracts the most talented craftsmen, continuously improves its technology, and has always embodied art de vivre a la française.

The 'Harcourt' crystal glass, unveiled to the public in 1841, symbolizes the power crystal takes when it is beautifully cut and shaped. This work of art still attracts a crowd some 150 years after making its debut.