The glass tumbler with cult status
Brand tenacity, timeless style and legendary strength all form part of this glass’s fascinating story
Considering the Picardie is worshipped the world over, and its predecessor, the Gigogne, landed a spot at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, it’s staggering to learn that maker Duralex faced bankruptcy at the close of the 20th century. “The original French tumbler”, as the Picardie has become known, is so revered that it was featured in classic Nouvelle Vague films, as well as in the hands of James Bond in Skyfall. Today it’s found in every French café worth its salt, as well as in yuppie, bobo (bourgeois bohemian) and hipster hangouts like bistros and coffee shops. But, much as we like to poke fun at the aforementioned set, they’ve fallen in love with the Picardie for good reason. This quintessentially French tumbler has become exceedingly coveted, but why?
The Picardie (and Duralex’s other glassware products) is forged in La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin, France, in a factory that was a vinegar distillery before it was bought by Coty to bottle their perfumes. When the factory was acquired in 1934 by Saint-Gobain (who developed shatter-proof windscreens for the roadsafety industry), they went on to invent the glass-tempering process that defines Duralex products. Twelve years later they released their first glasses.
The brand had its heyday in the ’60s and ’70s when the Picardies were used widely in school cafeterias, workshops and bistros for their practicality and affordability. But the ’90s were the start of the brand’s toughest times, when internationalisation and competition prompted Saint-Gobain to sell Duralex, resulting in years of mismanagement.
Just over 10 years ago it was hard to find Picardie glasses and lovers of the product looked to the second-hand market where they were gaining in price and popularity for their rarity.
It wasn’t until 2008 that a group of shareholders bought the company and resuscitated it, injecting funds for growth and giving it a brand overhaul. Sales are back up, with 85% of Duralex’s revenue in the export market and their biggest export destination is Afghanistan, where the glasses are revered for tea drinking.
Described as “the ultimate drinking vessel created by man”, the Picardie’s design is rooted in simplicity and timelessness. Elegantly curved with a tulip-shaped form, its narrow base and wider top means it can be stacked, making it the darling of the hospitality and café sector. It is also chip and scratch resistant.
It’s one thing to have a glass that stacks but the Picardie also won’t lock when stacked, thanks to faceted sides which give it great handling. Where the facets stop, the glass becomes smooth, resulting in ultimate comfort when drinking. Lastly, the Picardie is said to be the perfect weight in the hand.
More often than not the Picardie will bounce when dropped. But if it did break, it’s designed to shatter into blunt pieces rather than shards. Because it is heated to almost 700°C and then quickly cooled, it is two-and-a-half times stronger than ordinary annealed glass. It can be used for hot or cold drinks, at breakfast, lunch and dinner, and can handle thermal shock to the tune of 130°C — meaning it can be taken straight from the freezer to the microwave and dishwasher.
Sixty-four years after it first appeared, the Picardie has seen additions like pastel hues, amber, matt black and a few primary colours, but nothing beats the original clear version for its simplicity and superior design.
The Picardie is said to be the perfect weight in the hand
duralex.com