Easter Eggs Made for Royalty - Faberge Eggs

Whenever you hear the term Fabergé, you know that the name is closely related to spectacular Easter eggs that were made by none other than the famous Peter Fabergé, favorite of the Russian royal family. What began as a whimsical Easter gift of the third czar Alexander to his wife, soon turned into a yearly commission when the delighted Maria was awed at the intricate workings of the gold and ruby crusted egg she received. Amazing detail work incorporated fine art with precious jewels and metals, only to turn out quite possibly the most famous Easter eggs in history.

The charm of the eggs lay in their unexpected interiors. While the outside was spectacular in its own right, it was nothing compared to the intricate artwork of the inside. Very rarely did the exterior decoration lead on the exact nature of the interior craftsmanship. As a matter of fact, Fabergé went to great lengths to keep the actual theme of the eggs secret until they were presented at the royal palace.

While a number of these eggs have gone missing, such as the famous "Hen with Sapphire" and the "Mauve Enamel," many more have survived the decades as well as the Russian Revolution. Quite possibly the most famous egg is the "Peter the Great" creation which was created in 1903. Crafted in honor of the founding of St. Petersburg by Czar Peter the Great in May of 1703, the combination of gold and diamonds is a spectacular sight. Another famous Fabergé egg is the 1910 "Alexander III Equestrian." Deviating from the traditional hidden center, this egg is actually translucent and permits the viewer to immediately behold the inside of the egg. It became world famous for its rather sizeable diamond.

Behind the famous Fabergé eggs stands their creator, Peter Fabergé. Born into the trade, he spent much of his young adult life learning more about the craft and the jewelry business with the reputable jewelers of his time. His creations were so breathtaking that he caught the eye of Russian czar. At the height of his career he employed more than 500 workers who almost exclusively worked on the jewels and Fabergé eggs for the royal court. Yet during the time of the Russian Revolution, Peter Fabergé realized that his success was over and he took the opportunity to flee from Russia. At this time, his descendants are working hard on preserving the craftsmanship he developed.