Faberge is one of the most iconic brands ever to emerge from Russia, and it is best known for its legendary egg‑shaped marvels. Crafted in utter secrecy, each Faberge egg could take up to a year to perfect, ensuring every gem, precious metal and hidden compartment was positioned with surgical precision. No other goldsmith could rival the opulence and meticulous detail on display. Even after more than a century, Faberge eggs remain the gold standard for extravagance and wealth in the jewelry world. 10 glittering facts about these jeweled wonders illustrate why they continue to captivate collectors and historians alike.
10 Glittering Facts About Faberge Eggs
10. A Royal Easter Tradition
When Easter held supreme importance for the Russian Orthodox Church, people would bring hand‑painted eggs to be blessed and then distribute them among loved ones. The aristocracy added a lavish twist by swapping bejeweled gifts on the holiday, setting the stage for the birth of the Faberge egg. In 1885, Tsar Alexander III decided to surprise his wife, Empress Marie Fedorovna, with a modest‑looking but exquisitely crafted egg – the Hen Egg – as an Easter present. Her delighted reaction prompted the tsar to continue gifting a new egg each year.
His son, Tsar Nicholas II, perpetuated the custom, presenting both his mother and his own wife with a glittering egg every Easter. This tradition became the most sumptuous celebration of its kind, until it abruptly ended after the tragic murder of Nicholas II and his family during the Russian Revolution, cutting short a 32‑year reign of egg‑splendor.
9. The Surprises Inside
Peter Carl Faberge enjoyed total artistic freedom, but he was bound by a single rule: every egg had to conceal a surprise. He never failed his imperial patrons. The Hen Egg, for instance, cracked open to reveal a golden yolk, which in turn housed a tiny gold hen. Inside that hen lay a miniature diamond replica of the royal crown and a ruby‑encrusted egg pendant. Other surprises ranged from a mechanical swan to a golden miniature palace, an array of eleven tiny portrait easels, and even a working replica of the Coronation carriage that demanded fifteen months of painstaking work.
Each surprise reflected a facet of the royal family’s life. The Red Cross Egg, created in 1915, honored Empress Alexandra Fedorovna’s charitable work with the Red Cross during World War I, illustrating Faberge’s knack for weaving personal tributes into his dazzling creations.
8. They Were Once Despised
While the Romanovs adored the jeweled eggs, the Bolsheviks loathed them as symbols of aristocratic excess during a period of famine and hardship. Their disdain turned violent: the revolutionary regime seized Faberge, forcing the master craftsman’s son, Agathon, into captivity in the Kremlin where he was compelled to inventory the seized treasures. Agathon eventually escaped to Finland, while Faberge’s wife and another son fled to Switzerland, where the family reunited.
By 1917 the Faberge business in Russia had been nationalized and shut down, but the family had already established branches abroad—most notably in England—shielding their legacy from Bolshevik control.
7. Peter Faberge Wasn’t Russian
Although Peter Carl Faberge was born on Russian soil, his lineage traced back to French Huguenots and Danish artists. His paternal ancestors fled France for religious freedom, settling in Russia where his father, the first generation born there, married a Danish painter’s daughter. Peter entered his father’s workshop as a youngster, quickly demonstrating prodigious talent.
He refined his skills under masters across Europe—studying in France, Germany, England, and Italy—before returning to St. Petersburg in 1872 to join the family firm. His brilliance earned him the title of court jeweler to the Russian Imperial family, and his reputation spread to other monarchs in Norway, Sweden, England, Greece, Bulgaria and Siam. After the 1917 Revolution, Faberge never set foot in Russia again, passing away at 74 while visiting a son in Lausanne.
6. Stalin Inadvertently Saved Them
Following the Romanovs’ downfall, Bolshevik troops looted palaces, confiscating many Faberge eggs while others vanished as loot. The remaining treasures were stored in the Kremlin’s vaults, largely forgotten until 1927 when Joseph Stalin combed through the vaults seeking assets to fund his regime. Though his motive was profit, Stalin’s sales of fourteen eggs to foreign markets unintentionally spared them from being melted down for raw metal.
One of the most remarkable survivors of this unlikely rescue is the Peacock Egg—a crystal and gold masterpiece featuring an enameled peacock that unfurls its tail and even walks when released from its golden perch.
5. The Ultimate Easter Egg Hunt
In total, fifty Faberge eggs were crafted for the Russian Imperial family, but the turbulence of revolution, Stalin’s opportunism, and private collectors have left seven of them missing. The most tantalizing of the lost pieces is the 1889 Necessaire Egg, encrusted with emeralds, diamonds and rubies, last recorded in a London shop in 1949 where it sold for £1,250 to an anonymous buyer who vanished with the treasure.
Experts suspect the missing eggs may be hidden in the United States, Russia or England, though some may have been destroyed. The mystery fuels a modern treasure hunt, especially as Faberge eggs can command prices up to $30 million on the open market.
4. One Was Bought As Scrap
The lost Third Imperial Easter Egg resurfaced in a most unexpected way. Originally forged from gold and studded with precious stones, the egg was sold to an American collector for $14,000. The anonymous scrap dealer, assuming he could profit by melting it down, estimated a $500 gain, but his plan stalled when he could find no buyers. A quick internet search revealed the object’s true identity.
Faberge authority Kieran McCarthy examined the piece and confirmed it was the long‑missing Third Imperial Egg, complete with its original surprise—a tiny bejeweled Vacheron Constantin watch. The dealer’s modest $500 expectation turned into a $33 million windfall, and the egg now resides in a private collection.
3. Queen Elizabeth II Owns Three
The British Royal Family boasts the most significant Faberge collection in the world, housing three historic eggs. Queen Elizabeth II’s grandmother, Queen Mary, acquired the Colonnade Egg Clock, the Basket of Flowers Egg, and the Mosaic Egg. The Basket of Flowers Egg, in particular, dazzles with lifelike blossoms that appear freshly picked.
This collection is noteworthy because many of the over‑100 masterpieces were either bought directly from Faberge or gifted by families who procured them straight from the master jeweler. The British holdings also include delicate hard‑stone flowers, ornate boxes, miniature portraits, and the largest assembly of Faberge animal and floral studies.
Even with this impressive trove, the British cache represents only a fraction of Faberge’s output; during his lifetime, Peter Carl Faberge created roughly 200,000 distinct pieces of jewelry and decorative art.
2. The Kelch Family
Alongside the Romanovs, Faberge also served the affluent Kelch family. Industrial magnate Alex Kelch commissioned seven eggs for his wife, each rivaling the Imperial pieces in brilliance and ingenuity. Crafted by Faberge’s chief workmaster Michael Perchin, the Kelch eggs include a massive 13.4 cm (5.3 in) specimen. Except for the Apple Blossom Egg and the Pine Cone Egg, the designs often echoed the royal models.
When the couple divorced, Mrs. Kelch took her Faberge set to Paris. Six of the eggs eventually crossed the Atlantic, and because of their flawless craftsmanship, half were mistakenly identified as Imperial eggs. It wasn’t until 1979 that all seven were correctly attributed to the Kelch collection.
1. They’re Back
After the Revolution, the Faberge name changed hands several times, even being attached to mundane products like toilet cleaner, shampoo and cologne. The final owner, Pallinghurst Resources, decided in 2007 to restore the brand to its glorious origins, reviving the creation of truly spectacular pieces.
Two years later, with the assistance of Peter Faberge’s granddaughters Sarah and Tatiana, the world was treated to a dazzling new line of Faberge jewelry—earrings, bracelets and rings fit for royalty. The centerpiece of this renaissance was a collection of twelve bijou egg pendants, each drawing design inspiration from the historic Imperial eggs. While genuine Imperial eggs will never be reproduced, these pendants are widely available today, priced between $8,000 and $600,000, allowing modern collectors to own a slice of Faberge’s legendary sparkle.