The atelier

How a piece is made.

Four steps, none of them fast.

  1. 01

    Selection

    A slab is chosen and read for its veining. Where the vein falls decides where the piece is cut from, not the other way round.

  2. 02

    Cutting

    The blank is cut oversize, then brought down to dimension. Marble is unforgiving; the tolerance is in the hand, not the machine.

  3. 03

    Engraving

    The script is set, the channel cut, and the recess filled in white or gold. Arabic is set in naskh or kufi depending on the text.

  4. 04

    Finishing

    Edges are eased, the face is polished, felt is set into the base, and the piece is boxed.