Walkin' In A Crystal Wonderland

It's a palace fit for a shimmering princess. Baccarat's new 3,000-sq-m museum, showroom and restaurant in Paris is designer Philippe Starck's ode to all things crystal. Arriving visitors walk past sparkling crystal fireplaces and gigantic mirrors, then go upstairs into a three-room gallery that pays homage to Baccarat's almost 200-year history of crystal making.

Among the works on display are pieces designed for the 1878 Universal Exhibition, including an ornate enameled Turkish coffee set. There's a huge showcase full of vases, dishes and stemware commissioned by personages ranging from Emperor Mutsuhito of Japan to Jazz...