In celebration of the 180-year anniversary of the iconic house of Fabergé, a new capsule collection has launched, and is set to be embraced by modern day collectors and enthusiasts.
The 180-year anniversary capsule collection comprises the Colours of Love Rose Gold Diamond and Ruby Fluted ‘180’ Egg Pendant and 180 Limited-Edition Rose Gold and Ruby Mini Fluted ‘180’ Egg Objets. Both creations are crafted from 18k rose gold and feature responsibly sourced Gemfields Mozambican rubies.
The first Fabergé jewellery boutique, a basement shop along the city’s most fashionable street in St Petersburg, was opened by Gustav Fabergé in 1842. In 1882, Peter Carl Fabergé took over his father’s jewellery business and, together with his brother Agathon, he quickly transformed it into an international phenomenon that has set the jewellery world alight. The success of the two brothers was in changing the nature of the business and evolving it into the most prominent jeweller across Europe. Through his artistic use of materials and colours, Fabergé impressed audiences around the world by fusing engineering with creativity.
Artist jeweller
Fabergé quickly gained the admiration of royals, aristocrats and fashionable clientele across the globe and officially became known as the ‘artist jeweller’. His collections ranged from ingenious objet d’arts, flower studies and small gifts to colourful jewellery using an innovative array of gemstones and colourful enamel that were brought to life, often using the age-old tradition of guilloché enamel. Today, these are treasured in the world’s leading museums and private collections.
The craftsmanship of all Fabergé creations was, and still is, of the very finest standard. This formula of design and craftsmanship has always made Fabergé pieces so desirable: the ultimate objects to own and the gifts of choice.
Nearly two centuries later, and Fabergé still prevails. The 180-year capsule collection takes its inspiration from ‘fluted’ gold creations in the Fabergé archive, a technique for which Peter Carl Fabergé was renowned, and which featured heavily in his early works of art.
Trademark style
The gold fluting decoration is considered his trademark style, seen in many of Fabergé’s exquisite pre-1917 pieces, which ranged from jewellery to picture frames, cigarette cases and other objets d’art. It can also be seen in modern day creations, including the popular Colours of Love fluted rings.
Fabergé has always been known for surprising audiences with the unexpected. With a height of 62 mm and a diameter of just 35 mm, the Limited-Edition Rose Gold & Ruby Mini Fluted ‘180’ Egg Objet fits in the palm of your hand – a miniature masterpiece.
The artful fluting brings out the natural beauty of the 18k rose gold, by creating curved surfaces and mixed levels that create contrasting light and shadow. The fluting is arranged in a radial pattern which creates a sense of energy and joy, like the rays of the sun. At the centre on both sides of the egg is a glowing cabochon ruby, responsibly sourced from Gemfields’ Montepuez ruby mine in Mozambique.
Gemfields rubies
The rubies have been selected for their exceptional colour, as well as for their symbolism – rubies long being associated with passion, prosperity and protection. A delicate row of smaller Gemfields rubies adds subtle texture and sparkle to the piece, separating the two radial patterns around the circumference. In a playful twist, the egg can be removed from its base.
The objet reflects the colours of the environment around it, as gold is a highly reflective material. When designing the objet, this reflectivity was carefully taken into consideration by Fabergé’s Head Designer, Liisa Tallgren, since this would have a significant impact on the overall appearance of the finished piece. A highly polished, smoothly curved or flat surface would have reflected like a mirror, resulting in a restless and discontinuous look.
However, the engraving and texture on this piece distributes light and shadow evenly across the surface, creating a sense of continuity and harmony. The low points reflect the gold material itself, creating a beautiful golden glow. With 180 numbered pieces being made in commemoration, these objets are destined to be collectors’ items and future heirlooms.
Also launching to celebrate this special moment is the Colours of Love Rose Gold Diamond & Ruby ‘180’ Fluted Egg Pendant. With uniform vertical fluting around the egg’s circumference, to create a tactile surface, this piece perfectly complements the egg objet. A Gemfields Mozambican ruby sits prettily on the base of the egg, radiating a pop of colour when worn. A row of white diamonds is set on the bail for added sparkle.
Responsible sourcing
Gemfields gemstones are mined in Africa; rubies from Mozambique and emeralds from Zambia. Responsible sourcing for Gemfields means implementing industry-leading policies and practices across operations, transparency in the auction sales process, an active role in working groups to modernise the coloured gemstone sector, projects to improve health, education and livelihoods for the communities around the mines and conservation efforts to protect Africa’s great wildlife and biodiversity.
Liisa Tallgren, Head of Design at Fabergé, says of the collection: “I’m very proud and grateful to have the chance to continue the legacy started by Gustav Fabergé 180 years ago, and continued by his son Peter Carl Fabergé. Peter Carl’s works of art still fascinate today, and our exciting challenge is to create pieces that have that charm and romance, but with a modern edge. Peter Carl Fabergé and his goldsmiths knew how to bring out the natural beauty of the materials they were using. They textured metal with chasing, engraving, beading and fluting, which he and his workmasters so skillfully used to enchant everything from picture frames to egg objets. The Third Imperial Egg features fluting most prominently and is a brilliant example of how Fabergé creations are tastefully intricate and not ‘over the top’.”