Enduring enchantment By Marjorie Chiew
Publisher:The Star - Publication Date: 19-05-2008

The Big Buddha was clouded in mist and obscured from view when I first made my way to see it. Only its lotus seat could be seen,” said Low Guan Fong, my new journalist friend. (It is the world’s tallest outdoor seated bronze status of Buddha in Lantau Island, Hong Kong.)
She closed her eyes and whispered a prayer with her hands clasped. In that split second, she claimed she felt a gust of wind. Then, as she opened her eyes, the mist moved away.
“It was as if my prayer had been answered,” she said.
When she looked up, she could see the 34m high statue (which weighs 250 tonnes) clearly and her photographer, who was next to her, managed to take a snapshot.
Low and I were in Hong Kong for the Lalique – A Tribute to Heritage, Sculptor of Light exhibition, held at IFC mall recently.
Lalique is one of the world’s most renowned crystal makers and sculptor of light refers to crystal works of art. Obtained by fusion at extremely high temperatures, crystal is distinguished from glass by its composition: it must contain a minimum level of lead which, added to silica and potash, gives radiance and resonance.
If it was fate that brought us together, well, it probably also brought us closer to the Buddha. Ironically, the main attraction at the exhibition was a sculpture of Amitabul Buddha, said to convey a sense of compassion and evoke admiration towards Buddha.

The sculpture was inspired by the famous Great Buddha at Kotoku-in, Kamakura, Japan, during a visit by the designers two years ago.
The Kamakura Great Buddha is a monumental outdoor bronze statue of Amida Buddha, one of the most famous icons of Japan. The statue stands at 13.35m and weighs about 93 tonnes.
Lalique designers took a year to research on Buddha sculptures to find out more about facial appearances, mudras (hand gestures) and sitting postures. Then, it took another six months to finish the sculpture.
Lalique has a studio in Paris where its 10 designers are based while its factory is in Alsace, east of France.
Each Amitabul sculpture costs HK$84,800 (US$10,872) and measures 30cm in height, 21cm in width and weighs 10kg. Available in clear (crystal) and amber, each edition is engraved with a number and given a certificate. Ten of Lalique’s craftsmen can sign the certificates. Eight of them have been awarded the best craftsmen of France.
“This is the first time we have such a big Buddha piece and it’s very difficult to make. The sculpture is very nouvelle (modern) and reflects ornate details done by hand. The face of the Buddha has to be touched up after the hot glass workshop, such as redesigning the nose and eyes. It is a big, beautiful piece,” said Olivier Mauny, CEO of Lalique S A.
“However, it is not the first time we have created Buddha statues. Previously, we came up with the Jade Buddha and Happy (Laughing) Buddha. We also have Indian divinities like Ganesh (the elephant-headed deity, also known as the Hindu god of success) and Lakshmi (Hindu goddess of wealth and beauty).”
Buyers of the Amitabul come from the United States, Taiwan, Britain and Hong Kong.
According to Mauny, the colour amber is very popular in Asia. Other than the Buddha, there are also dragons in amber.
Amber pieces are tricky to make and oxides are added for the colour.
“When the crystal is very hot, you cannot see the amber colour. For a big piece, the amber only reveals its colour after a certain time – depending on the piece, size and thickness. If you leave the sculpture in the oven too long, it becomes very dark. If you take it out quickly, it becomes very light,” he said.
Both the clear and amber-coloured Buddha have to be reheated for more than 96 hours to stabilise the crystal.
“The thicker the crystal, the darker the colour. For example, the base of the Buddha statue is darker than the head because the base is thicker. Clear crystal is more visible because light goes through more easily,” he explained.
“Some 100 Amitabul Buddha have been produced and half of it has been sold,” said Jean Claude Hertrich, one of Lalique’s best craftsmen, adding that five Amitabul were sold in Japan alone.
“The clear version is popular in the Western market while the Asians seem to prefer the amber one,” said Hertrich, 42, who has been with Lalique for 28 years. He is production manager and trainer at the hot glass workshop.
An expert at glass blowing, he won the Best Craftsmen of France contest (held every three years) in 2000.
Mauny feels that Hong Kong is 'the right city' for the exhibition because it is a city that embodies the fusion of East and West. Lalique plans to take the exhibition showcasing the Amitabul on a world tour.
“Sometimes you need to explain a bit about what lies behind a piece of art. People are interested to know about the craftsmanship. When you buy a Lalique vase, you can appreciate its beauty. But if you’re told the story behind it, you can you tell your friends and kin. It’s a way to give added value to the piece,” he said.
“People need to understand why a Lalique vase, for example, is more expensive than a normal crystal or glass vase. It is more decorated and ornate. It will stand out amongst its competitor products because our style is completely different from the others. I’m not saying we’re better but we’re different.
“The brand’s arduous commitment to an unbroken tradition translates into elegantly finished masterpieces that are distinctly Lalique.”
The Amitabul Buddha is not the most expensive Lalique piece.
“The most expensive piece in Lalique’s catalogue is the Fish Fountain, which costs $62,330. Last year, only two Fish Fountains were sold. This piece was designed by Rene Lalique in 1937,” said Mauny.
The brand’s main challenge is to increase production capacity.
“Buying machines is not the solution because everything is handmade. We need to hire more craftsmen and qualified people. It’s difficult,” he added.
“We need to speed up our training programmes. To have good glass workers, it takes a minimum six to seven years of training.”

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