Along with gnocchi, gelato and mozzarella, Adagio is one of our favourite Italian nouns. It actually translates to a slowing tempo in music. Embodying this namesake, it’s no coincidence that our Adagio Hand Cut Black Glass Sets expel a tranquil, slow-motion feeling of relaxation through bitter orange, cardamom, lavender, jasmine, tonka and sandalwood. After unboxing Adagio, you’ll soon feel the urge to slip off your heels, pour a pinot and bask in this fragrant reverie.
A real show stopping feature of Adagio is its exterior. This exquisite set, available for diffuser and candles lovers alike, is uniquely crafted from two layers of glass - crystal clear and opaque black. But, how exactly do we create this art?
Today, we’re delving into the meticulous mastery behind crafting our luxury Adagio vessels, walking you through the fascinating process of creating the striking, jet-black glass feature you love.
Where the magic happens.
All our luxurious Apsley & Company products are 100% handmade, and Adagio is no exception. The complex trajectory begins by carefully extracting glass from one of our furnaces. Inside here, molten glass has been heated to a spicy temperature that minimises the chance of any design flaws (1450°C—1500°C). In a hypnotic process, a blowing rod is then dipped into the furnace, and a small amount of molten glass is extracted and blown into a small bubble (we dub this the inner bubble). This rough form is then blown into its final shape with the helping hand of a mold located below ground. Next, this is cooled by circulating water, and the transparent part is delicately placed inside the colour glass layer. As a result, the two parts become whole. (This all means we need to blow twice for each item - one time for the colour glass layer and the other for the inner transparent glass). After the cult Adagio shape has been formed in the mold, the stem is stretched to its desired length and the base is attached. Now, we’re getting somewhere.
Annealing.
After the glass has been blown and formed, it is transferred to the annealing kiln (in fancy terms, this is also called a lehr). Here, the glass is slowly heated and cooled in order to reduce brittleness and promote strength. The annealing kiln at our factory is an impressive 24 meters long, through which glassware passes on a conveyor belt. On the clock, the whole process from entry to exit takes roughly 85 minutes, during which the glass is exposed to temperatures dropping from 550°C in the middle of the kiln to 60°C at the exit point.
Finishing.
When the glass exits the annealing kiln, it lands in the clever hands of the maestros in our working shop. The part of the glass which is processed here is the rim, which is fire-cut to an exact height. After being fire-cut, the rim has to be ground down by fine sand and water, and then baked and polished for that high-shine finish that catches the eye.
Craftsmanship.
What’s to follow? After the rim has been processed, the glass is then pampered, preened and polished in a myriad of other ways. This includes cutting and sandblasting, to add flare and pizzazz to Adagio’s striking black vessel. When we cut off the outside colour glass layer with different patterns, the Adagio designs become distinct and bespoke in their beautiful veining. After the glass has been cut, it’s finally polished and cleaned to be ready for your admiration.
The final inspection.
Perfection is paramount. Throughout this whole journey, we dutifully complete quality checks at various points of production to ensure every single Adagio piece is magnificent. Our hardworking and incredibly astute quality control staff inspect each and every vessel before packing and sending en route to your haven.
Through our artisans exceptional skill, meticulous process and keen eyes, Adagio becomes the masterpiece you love. Say farewell to lacklustre designs, and say hello to the artistry of Adagio. Lustrous and refined, this diffuser set is here to dazzle and delight for copious cosy nights of entertaining to come.