Sriram “Ram” Natarajan is now GIA’s senior vice president of laboratory operations and is based out of the lab’s headquarters in Carlsbad.
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.

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.
The Latest

The one-of-a-kind collar represents the beauty of imperfection and the strength to rebuild.

Three C-suite executives, including former CEO Tom Nolan, have resigned as part of what the company describes as a “transition.”

Jewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.

The retailer, which recently filed Chapter 11, inked a deal to sell its North American business and intellectual property.


Target CEO Brian Cornell will step down in February and be replaced by the company’s chief operating officer, Michael Fiddelke.

The group met with the president's senior trade advisor earlier this week to express the industry’s concerns about the effects of tariffs.

As a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.

The pop-up will display this year's Tiffany & Co. Singles Championship trophies along with a diamond-encrusted tennis racket and ball.

The New Hampshire-based store has expanded to Boston, propelled by the success of Alex Bellman’s TikTok page, “The Truthful Jeweler.”

The latest incident happened Monday at a store in Oakland, California, continuing a pattern JSA first warned about last month.

The new aqua green New York Harbor Limited Edition II is the watchmaker’s second collaboration with the Billion Oyster Project.

Participants who attend any three Rings of Strength events will be awarded a special medal.

The investment company, founded by Dev Shetty, has acquired the struggling miner and its assets, including the Lulo mine in Angola.

Smith shares wisdom he gleaned from a podcast he was listening to one morning while being walked by his dog, a Malshi named Sophie.

The counterfeit Van Cleef & Arpels jewels would have been worth more than $30 million if genuine.

The MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program received the Registered Apprenticeship Program designation by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Casio executive and watch enthusiast Masaki Obu is the new general manager of its U.S. timepiece division.

Barabash, Verragio’s client relations representative, was a vital member of the team and is remembered as being warm and full of life.

Originally introduced in 1992, the “Dot” collection is back with a capsule featuring five archival designs and three new creations.

Allison-Kaufman has received the honor for the fourth year in a row.

The company had a solid second quarter, with sales of non-charm jewelry outpacing sales of pieces in its core collections.

Taylor Swift dons the vibrant pair in new promotional imagery for her upcoming album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” set to release in October.

Its investment in micromechanics expert Inhotec will preserve skills essential to the watchmaking industry as a whole, said the company.

Nicolette Bianchi joins the wholesale provider with more than 15 years of cross-industry experience in marketing and product development.

Her new “Ocean” collection was inspired by Myanmar’s traditional articulated fish jewelry, with depictions of flounder, catfish, and more.

Longtime Casio executive Yusuke Suzuki is the new president and CEO of Casio’s U.S. subsidiary.