The Fabergé Egg is one of history’s most legendary works of art. In fact, the celebrated series of 50 Imperial Easter eggs was created for the Russian Imperial family from 1885 to 1916 when Peter Carl Fabergé ran the company. These beautifully decorated eggs have gathered attention from the world’s rich and famous for more than a century. It’s no wonder, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars desired to incorporate one on its vehicle. The car manufacturer and Fabergé teamed up to announce a contemporary Fabergé Egg. The maker of the world’s most luxurious motor cars teaming up with the maker of the most luxurious eggs, may be the most genius, breath-taking plan ever. Together, the two companies crafted and created a bespoke “Spirit of Ecstasy” Fabergé Egg for the 21st century.
Designers from Rolls-Royce’s bespoke division, Stefan Monro and Alex Innes, sketched the first design, which was ultimately redesigned by the Fabergé lead designer Liisa Talgren. Craft master Paul Jones then brought the object to life, who successfully created a contemporary interpretation “of one of the world’s most fabled possessions.”
“It was born from an intrinsic desire to further the realms of bespoke personalization,” says Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Rolls-Royce chief executive. “Responding to the continuing demands of patrons in search of unique and cherished possessions, a designer at the House of Rolls-Royce sketched an egg, igniting a fascination that will undoubtedly become one of the most collectable items of modern times.”
By working with the finest materials and utilizing the skills of artist jewelers, a team was created of seven craftspeople from the house of Fabergé to re-create the design of the “Spirit of Ecstasy,” which is the tiny Rolls-Royce mascot. It is sculpted in frosted rock crystal and cocooned within the egg. The complete design features Fabergé’s heritage, while intricately woven into the 160mm design, which weighs nearly 400g.
“A unique moment in both our companies’ history, the creation represents the meeting of two masters of unrivalled quality and design, showcasing two globally recognized symbols – the Fabergé Egg and the Spirit of Ecstasy,” says Sean Gilbertson, Fabergé chief executive. The “Spirit of Ecstasy’ marks the second object to be commissioned in the “Imperial Class” since 1917, which took over two years to finalize. The “Spirit of Ecstasy” Fabergé Egg is set to debut today at the House of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, UK. From there it will go on public display at the Fabergé London boutique just in time for the holidays.
