The Imperial Easter Eggs
AN OPULENT LEGACY
In this season of Easter, surrounded as we are by the images of Easter eggs, I’m always reminded of the majesty of the Faberge Imperial Easter Eggs. The series of 50 eggs was created for the Russian Imperial Family, from 1885 to 1916, by the House of Faberge. The royal tradition was started by Tsar Alexander III who commissioned an egg as an Easter gift for his wife, Tsarina Maria Feodorovna. Each opulent egg, conceived in total secrecy by a team of craftsmen, ranged in size from three to five inches, and took a year or more to make. The kind of attention to detail I admire! Each egg can be opened to reveal an elegant surprise, including a miniature clock, a piece of jewelry or a tiny portrait.
This “Lilies of the Valley Egg” was presented to the Empress Maria Feodorovna by her son, Tsar Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, in 1898. The pink guilloche enamel Art Nouveau egg is adorned with pearl and diamond-set lilies of the valley sprays. When one of the pearls is twisted, the surprise is unlocked: three miniatures surrounded by a diamond and ruby imperial crown.
Only 43 of the eggs are believed to still exist today and most are in museums around the world. The British Royal Family is said to own three. In 2015, one of the eggs was reportedly discovered at a Midwest flea market where it was bought by a scrap-metal dealer for $14,000. Only when the man googled his purchase however, did he discover it was a Faberge egg…valued at about $33 million.
I am in awe of the ingenuity necessary to create these magnificent pieces. More than a century later, with all the technology we now have, I’m not sure we could easily emulate these extremely intricate and gorgeous works of art.
FROM A VICTORIAN BRACELET, A VERY MODERN RING
This Victorian bracelet set with peridots had a storied history as it passed down from mother to daughter through generations of an English family.
The current owner, M.A, a well-known and stylish downtown artist, now living in New York, had an inspired moment one night as she was getting dressed for a gallery opening. She came across the peridot bangle, a tired piece she never wore, and was immediately inspired to bring it back to life. Through a friend, she came to see me, and we had an immediate connection, talking for most of the afternoon about art and family. That set the vision to reimagine the bracelet as a ring. Being an artist, she drew a few design options and sent them to me.
At the next visit, we focused on the technical aspects which required somewhat modifying her drawings. We eventually agreed on a wonderful design that married her personality and my expertise. It was a unique challenge to balance the elements of the ring and required a high level of craftsmanship, because what looks like a bead is actually a gold sphere coated with turquoise enamel.
So, in my workshop, we made a wax prototype, that we modified a few times before deciding it was ready for production.
The peridots now set in 22-carat yellow gold rest face-to-face with the turquoise enameled ball–made to the exact color my client envisioned.
The ring is a perfect reflection of her style while also honoring her family.
Risqué et Reussi!
LET'S COLLABORATE
Please contact me at 212-575-8886 for a free consultation so we can reimagine some of your jewelry, paying homage to the past while creating something chic and very now.
Best,
- Yves Ringler