Yahoo Autos A Rolls-Royce Customer Has Commissioned a New Faberge Egg
When it comes to automobiles, Rolls-Royce is the epitome of luxury, and it has been since the company's inception in 1904. In a similar vein, when it comes to jewelry, the House of Fabergé is one of the most legendary names in the business thanks to its iconic Fabergé eggs. The two companies have now collaborated on what they have named the Spirit of Ecstasy Fabergé Egg, inside of which nests Rolls's famous hood-ornament figure. This is only the second "Imperial class" egg to have been commissioned since 1917.
Before we get into the Spirit of Ecstasy egg, a little history. The first Imperial Fabergé egg was created for Tsar Alexander III (of the Russian royal family), who commissioned it as a gift for his wife, Empress Maria Feodorovna. She loved the egg so much that Alexander commissioned a new one for every Easter afterward until his death in 1894, after which his son Nicholas II kept up the tradition, gifting two a year: one to his wife and one to his mother. Every year, the eggs got more and more elaborate, and the design always would be a surprise to the family. In total, 50 Imperial eggs were created from 1885 through 1917, with 43 known to have survived. Now they are some of the most expensive and coveted items in the world.
As for the Rolls egg, neither company has divulged the name of the customer it has been created for, only describing the person as a "discerning patron" who is a collector of both the Rolls-Royce and Fabergé brands. The design was conceived by Rolls-Royce designers Alex Innes and Stefan Monro along with Liisa Tallgren, lead designer at Fabergé. Fabergé "workmaster" Paul Jones created the egg with the help of seven craftspeople, and the whole process took two years.
The egg stands 6.3 inches tall and weighs less than a pound. It sits on an 18-karat white-gold base that is engine turned, hand engraved, and covered in purple enamel. The 12 arms that make up the egg are made from rose gold, with the inner sections made from more rose gold, 390 carats of natural amethyst, and almost 10 carats of round white diamonds.
Almost every Imperial egg has a mechanism to open and reveal something hidden inside, and this one is no different. A lever at the base of the egg initiates the movement, with the outside vanes of the egg opening to expose the hand-sculpted Spirit of Ecstasy, which is formed from frosted rock crystal. The engineering of the opening mechanism was aided through computer design and animation.
Out of respect for the customer's privacy, Rolls-Royce's spokeswoman told C/D that the company cannot share more details, but we wouldn't be surprised if he or she owns (or is commissioning) a bespoke Rolls in a similar color scheme. The egg will be shown at the House of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England, before being placed in Fabergé's London window display this Christmas.
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