Caron Paris Introduces Montaigne Limited Edition Prestige perfume and pays tribute to the art of glass gliding.

For Holiday 2008, Edouard Schamschula produced a beautifully elegant “arabesque” motif onto the new limited edition flacon, topped with its signature glass golden threaded topper (or an atomizer for just a spritz.) 25 ml of pure Montaigne extract glistens sumptuously through its 24 carat gold dressed attire. The essence, named after the famous Avenue in Paris, conveys bold and mysterious femininity. Notes of golden mimosa flowers mingle with jasmine and intensify with woody and exotic undertones of sandalwood. Montaigne captures the grace of old Hollywood with a touch of bold femininity perfect for those with contemporary styles with classic, modern appeal.

Montaigne Limited Edition. Available Holiday 2008. $520.00 Bergdorf Goodman, New York and the Caron Boutique at Phyto Universe, 715 Lexington Ave. at 58th St. 877.88.CARON/ www.parfumscaron.com

The House of Caron, known for its pure perfume extracts housed in Baccarat crystal fountains and signature eau de toilettes, also specializes in fine French accessories and crafts. With over 100 years of experience, Caron places one of the most ancestral of traditions, the art of glass gilding and painting, at the service of ultra-contemporary creations.

To understand the demands of an almost dying trade, one would have to visit Igé, the headquarters of Clerik, responsible for bringing to France all the skill and experience of Bohemia’s glassmakers. It was in 1922, that the Schamschula family left Czechoslovakia to settle in Paris where they were already adorning glass objects covered in hand-painted enamel, a very old technique used as early as the 13th century in Syria on moque lamps. Seemingly forgotten, it wasn’t until the 20th century that the art was revived by the family. This time, it denoted the height of luxury: pure gold was applied onto pieces in glass or crystal, which could be found in the bathrooms, boudoirs and on the tables of the most elegant residences of the Belle Epoque and the Roaring 20’s.

The art of enameling glass lies in the precision and speed of the craftsman and has been passed on through the generations. Today, Edouard Schamschula, creates new patterns exclusively for Caron. Loyal to their roots, the Schamschula family has glass pieces flown in from Austria and Germany. They then use a machine called a “divider” especially useful for round bottles and flacons. It is used to divide the body of the object into perfectly equal sections, to ensure that the decoration is even. Then the enamel is made: glass powder reduced to powder, as fine as icing sugar, is mixed with turpentine and gum to be applied with a fine paint brush. It is at that moment that the talent of the craftsman takes center stage.