About the Rochard Studio Collection Introduced in 1994, this special collection represents a quality in workmanship above and beyond Rochard's already high standards of painting and design. Using fine brush strokes and unusual artistic techniques, which can make the highlights on a Limoges box appear three-dimensional, these boxes feature more colors (15 to 20 rather than the usual 6 to 12), and liberal use of 24 carat gold, which has to be painted and fired separately. Such painstaking details demand more time, are produced on a smaller scale and, as a result, cost somewhat more. Most of the Rochard Studio Collection boxes come specially packaged in an elaborate hinged gift box and feature an elegant scroll detailing the special workmanship involved. Generally speaking, collectors of these boxes are more advanced and discriminating. As a true limited edition, the Rochard Studio Collection features 2 to 3 new series every season, comprised of 50 to 250 pieces each. When the series limit is reached, the box is retired and the molds are destroyed. What distinguishes the Rochard Studio Collection from other Limoges boxes is the emphasis on painting rather than form. Most of the shapes are traditional, but every now and then an unusual form will come along.