What a nightmare. As soon as you have undone the bow and opened the beautiful box you can see the glaring crack in the sage-coloured porcelain. It is only on closer inspection that we see that the fine golden “hairline crack” on the lid is a deliberate part of the design of Ted Muehling’s box. After making intense observations of the material and producing numerous samples in collaboration with the master craftsmen at the Manufactory, the renowned American designer created a decorative feature that is hand-painted in 24-carat gold.