Venturing beyond theories of the Diderot Effect and Thorstein Veblen’s conspicuous consumption, “Luxes” delves into our preoccupation with the rare, exotic, and opulent objects that represent our notion of luxury. The ideology lends itself to visual connotation, namely the expression of beauty found in rare materials and flawless execution, which is then used to enhance one’s status or symbolize a country’s cultural success and technological superiority. More than 100 handpicked objects from around the world, ranging from a zoomorphic hedgehog vase from 3500 BC to an Egyptian makeup spoon, celebrate this intersection of art and industry, an ongoing debate on the value of the hand- versus machine-made.