The Vesper

Alabaster is not, strictly speaking, a stone. It is a gypsum mineral, hydrated calcium sulphate, laid down in shallow inland seas tens of millions of years ago. The deposits in Aragon, in northern Spain, are among the largest and finest in the world. They have been quarried since at least Roman times and used in cathedral windows, funerary sculpture, and royal commissions for centuries.

The defining property of alabaster is translucency. A thin section, lit from behind, glows. A candle behind a 6mm wall reveals the structure of the mineral itself — the cloud-like banding, the inclusions, the way light slows down inside it. No other natural stone does this in the same way.

The Vesper is designed around that property. The wall thickness is calibrated so a single tealight inside produces the full translucent glow without overheating the rim. Use it at a dinner setting. Use it on a bedside while reading. Use it in a bathroom during a bath. Some owners keep one always lit on a desk while working. Tealights only — no pillar candles, no scented wax that drips.

Every block carries its own veining, translucency, and warmth of tone. We do not sort or select for uniformity. The piece you receive will be different from the photograph and different from the next one off the same line. The differences are the record of how this particular stone formed, made visible.

Best in a room with low ambient light at the time you light it. Dining table at dinner. Bedside in the evening. A console where guests pass by. Sit it on a hard surface where the weight reads clearly.

For the full material story, see the Materials page.

Alabaster is the most fragile of the stones we work with and the one most often damaged by well-meaning cleaning. The rules are different from marble and travertine.

• Dust with a dry soft cloth — cotton or microfibre. Daily or as needed.
• Never use water, soap, or commercial cleaners. Alabaster is water-soluble over time.
• Never use vinegar, citrus, or any acid. These dissolve alabaster visibly in minutes.
• Keep away from kitchens, bathrooms, and direct heat sources.
• Trim the tealight wick short before lighting.

For the full procedure and what to do if alabaster gets wet, see the Care Guide.

Drop 01 opens in spring 2026. Register your interest above to be the first to know when it opens.

When the drop opens, you'll have 14 days to secure your piece. Once the drop closes, your piece is made for you by hand. Lead time from drop close to delivery is 8 to 10 weeks. Production places per piece are limited and some pieces will sell their production slots before the drop closes.

The Reveal vase nearby on the same surface — both pieces lit, the light moving between them. Another Vesper for symmetry on a long table. The Waitākere bowl as a lower form on the same surface.

What size candle fits inside?

A standard tealight (38mm diameter, 18mm height). Do not use larger candles, pillar candles, or any candle that drips wax. The opening is sized for a tealight specifically.

Can I use a scented candle?

Yes, if it is a standard tealight in a metal cup. The metal cup contains the wax and prevents it from contacting the alabaster directly. Avoid scented candles in paper cups, which can leak.

Does the alabaster get hot?

The rim warms gently above a burning tealight, but the wall thickness is calibrated to prevent thermal stress. Do not burn a tealight for more than four hours at a time, and do not move the piece while the candle is lit.

What if my piece arrives with visible veining or markings?

That is the alabaster, not a defect. Spanish alabaster naturally contains cloud-like veining, mineral inclusions, and subtle colour variation. Every piece is different from the photograph and from every other piece. We do not select for uniformity.

How do I clean wax that drips inside?

Let the wax cool and harden completely. Gently lift the wax disc out with a fingernail. Any residue can be scraped with a plastic card. Do not use heat or solvents.