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Faberge creates first Imperial Egg in nearly a century

OtherMay 10, 2016

Faberge creates first Imperial Egg in nearly a century

The Gemfields-owned brand is bringing back the tradition of creating objets d’art with an egg set with 139 pearls and more than 3,000 diamonds. 


Faberge’s new Pearl Egg, its first Imperial Egg in nearly 100 years, features 139 white pearls and 3,305 diamonds as well as other precious gemstones.
London--Fabergé is returning to its roots, bringing back the tradition of creating objets d’art with a new pearl egg that marks the first since the early 1900s.

To celebrate the coming 100th anniversary of the last Fabergé Imperial Eggs ever delivered, the brand collaborated with the Al-Fardan family, renowned pearl collectors; each pearl included on the egg was selected by Hussain Ibrahim Al-Fardan from his private collection. 

The new Pearl Egg marks the first egg objet in Faberge’s “Imperial Class” since 1917 and required the work of 20 highly skilled workers to come together.

Its design is inspired by the creation of a pearl within an oyster--the mother-of-pearl outside opens to show a unique 12.17-carat gray pearl from the Arabian Gulf. An innovative clasp allows the exterior to rotate on its base, allowing all six sections of the egg to open simultaneously and unveil the pearl within.

The egg is set with 139 fine white pearls with a golden luster, 3,305 diamonds, carved rock crystal and mother-of-pearl set on white and yellow gold. The base has white pearls, diamonds and mother-of-pearl in a scallop-motif design.

The egg currently is on display at the Doha Watch and Jewellery Exhibition, which runs through Feb. 28.

Founded in 1842, Faberge gained international acclaim for the objets d’art it created, as well as its fine jewelry and watches. The Imperial Easter Eggs, commissioned by the Russian Imperial Family between 1885 and 1916, are perhaps the most celebrated pieces from Faberge. 

The Constellation egg was the last egg to be created. It wasn’t finished or presented to Tsar Nicholas’s wife because of the Russian Revolution of 1917, and many experts believe that it still remains unfinished to this day. 

Michelle Graffis the editor-in-chief at National Jeweler, directing the publication’s coverage both online and in print.

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