A service-for-four flatware set cut in the Laguiole pattern, with ivory-colored handles against polished 18/10 stainless steel. Each piece is fully tanged, meaning the steel runs into the handle and is held with three rivets, and the spine carries fine etching along its length. The handles are molded from a durable synthetic, and the knives are serrated so they stay useful through steak night and Sunday roast alike.
The Laguiole form dates to 1820s France, and the bee on the bolster is its calling card, a nod to Napoleon and the French monarchy. The curved handle sits easily in the hand, and the soft ivory tone reads warmer than all-steel sets. It holds its own next to linen napkins, patterned plates, scalloped glassware and a worn wooden table, and the polished steel picks up candlelight well.
The set includes dinner knives, dinner forks, salad forks, soup spoons and dessert spoons, four of each. It is dishwasher safe, so the same flatware can handle a weeknight supper, a holiday table or dinner on the patio. A set also makes a good gift for a first apartment or a wedding registry.