A single stemmed water glass from La Rochère, pressed in the forests of eastern France by a house that has made glass since 1475. A squared bowl catches the light on a short, steady stem. This is the glass that turns a jug of tap water and a sprig of mint into something poured rather than served, the small ceremony that tells the table the evening has begun.

There is a weight to pressed glass that thin crystal never has. It sits in the hand like it means to stay a while. Tilt it toward the candle and the Napoleonic bee lifts out of the surface in low relief, the emperor's own emblem, once woven into his fabrics and rugs, now catching gold at your table.

In clear, or in Émeraude, Olive, Bleu nuit and Aubergine, so you can build a table that matches or one that happily does not. For the couple collecting the glasses they will still drink from in twenty years. For the host who sets the table properly on a Tuesday.

Pressed French glass, dishwasher safe. Sold individually. Made in France by La Rochère.