The porcelain pastes are produced on-site, as are Sèvres’ enamels and colours.
The principal raw materials for these pastes are kaolin (from around the world), feldspar (from Finland and Norway) and quartz (from France). The four types of paste are: soft paste (a phosphatic variant of the 18th-century paste), hard paste (18th century), new paste (circa 1882) and white paste (or “Antoine d’Albis paste”, perfected around 1965). The raw materials for Sèvres’ colours are metal oxides, while its clear enamel is made from pegmatite and quartz from France. Each particular paste is best matched with certain enamels, colours and firing methods.
The mill prepares the pastes and clear glaze, while the laboratory perfects the paste formulas, manufactures the colours and prepares the gold.