The origins of Fabergé Eggs
It all began in Russia, in the 1880's. In those days, it was customary to give eggs to loved ones to celebrate Easter. In 1885, to give an egg to his wife, Maria Feodorovna, on the occasion of their 10th wedding anniversary, Czar Alexander III called on the talented artist-jeweller and silversmith Pierre-Karl Fabergé, whose creations he particularly admired.

Thus it was that Fabergé's very first Imperial Egg came into being, known as the "Hen Egg". Designed in the style of Russian nestling dolls, its white enamel shell contained a gold hen with eyes set with rubies, containing in its turn a small imperial crown inlaid with diamonds. The Czarina's surprise was such that the Czar would commission a new egg, each year until his death, from Pierre-Karl Fabergé, who thus became the official supplier of Russia's Imperial court.

The tradition was perpetuated by Alexander III's son, Nicholas II, who gifted about 40 eggs to his mother and wife. Over the years, Fabergé's Imperial Eggs became more and more complex, revealing the Russian jeweller's creativity and ingenuity in always hiding surprises inside, such as a miniature reproduction or an automat.

The egg hunt…
When Nicholas II and his family were executed in 1918 on Lenin's orders during the Russian Revolution, the precious eggs were stolen, sold by the Soviet regime and travelled to all four corners of the world. Among Fabergé's 54 Imperial Eggs, many have still not been found. Those that have been recovered are now in the hands of private collectors, though some are exhibited in museums. In fact, after the Kremlin which has 10 of them, the Fabergé Museum in Saint-Pétersbourg has 14, nine of them Imperial. A collection compiled by American billionaire Malcolm Forbes, then acquired in 2004 by Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg. For the record, the total number of Imperial Eggs that still exist has never been brought together in one and the same place.

Fabergé pays homage to Pop culture 
In 2021, Fabergé unveiled a one-off egg for the 10th anniversary of the iconic series "Game of Thrones", paying homage to the Mother of Dragons. Estimated to be worth 1.9 million euros, it is an allusion to Daenerys Targaryen's precious dragon eggs. Made of diamonds, 18-carat white gold, fine enamels and precious stones, it contains a miniature crown resting on a base of sparking crystal.