Coronation Egg, photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons / Fabergé Discoveries
When most people think of Easter eggs, they imagine colorful shells, chocolate treats or family traditions. But one of the most famous Easter egg traditions in history is far more luxurious.
Fabergé eggs are ornate works of art crafted from precious metals, enamel, diamonds and gemstones, created for the Russian imperial family over a century ago. Today, they are considered some of the most extraordinary examples of precious metal craftsmanship ever created.
Their story blends Easter symbolism, royal history and the enduring beauty of precious metals.
A royal Easter gift
The tradition began in 1885 when Tsar Alexander III of Russia commissioned jeweler Peter Carl Fabergé to create a special Easter gift for his wife, Empress Maria Fyodorovna.
But it wasn't just a random display of luxury. The design was inspired by a sentimental object from the Empress's childhood - a jeweled egg she had seen growing up in Denmark, and which had been passed down in her family.
Alexandra Fyodorovna egg, photo courtesy of Iben Kaufmann
The empress loved it so much that the tsar ordered a new Fabergé egg every Easter.
This tradition continued during the reign of his successor, Nicholas II, who ordered eggs each year for his mother and his wife. Between 1885 and 1917, over 50 Fabergé imperial eggs were created.
Each contained a hidden surprise and required months of design and manufacture.
Masterpieces of precious metal craftsmanship
What makes Fabergé eggs particularly fascinating for precious metal aficionados are the extraordinary materials used to create them.
Most eggs were built around a gold structure, sometimes combined with silver or platinum. Many were covered with colored enamel applied to finely decorated metal surfaces. Others were adorned with diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds.
The craftsmanship was astounding. Inside some of the eggs were tiny mechanical creations, such as :
- Miniature carriages in gold
- Clockwork mechanisms
- Folding photo frames
- Small, functional trains
Coronation Egg, photo courtesy of Fabergé Discoveries / Winter egg, photo courtesy of Henry Nicholls
A famous example is the Coronation Egg, which contains a miniature carriage detailed in gold and platinum. Another remarkable piece is the Winter Egg, decorated with platinum snowflakes and over four thousand diamonds.
These pieces weren't just jewelry - they were tiny sculptures combining engineering, art and precious metals.
Why eggs have become a symbol of Easter
The egg itself has long been a symbol of new life and renewal, which explains why eggs are closely associated with Easter in many Christian traditions.
In Russian Orthodox culture, decorated eggs were exchanged during Easter celebrations as a symbol of Christ's resurrection. The Romanov royal family simply elevated this tradition into something extraordinary.
Fabergé eggs retained the same symbolic idea, but expressed it through the most luxurious materials available: gold, platinum, silver, enamel, diamonds and precious stones.
From imperial treasures to modern collectibles
The Fabergé tradition came to an abrupt end after the Russian Revolution of 1917. The royal family was overthrown and many of their treasures were seized and sold around the world.
Today, the original imperial eggs can be found in museums and private collections, some selling for tens of millions of dollars.
Although the original imperial commissions are limited, Fabergé's legacy lives on in later works and modern pieces inspired by the same techniques, materials and attention to detail. These more recent creations - often made in gold, silver and enamel - continue to reflect the craftsmanship that made the original eggs so iconic.
Recently, Canada Gold acquired a Fabergé pill box made by Victor Mayer in Germany - demonstrating that these objects still circulate today, retaining both collector's and material value.
Fabergé pill box, photo courtesy of Phillips Auctions
Do you have something similar?
Not all valuable gold objects have a traditional appearance.
Some pieces - especially brand-name or collector's items - can be worth more than their gold content. If you own a unique item and don't know its value, an in-person appraisal is the best place to start.
At Canada Gold, we look at both metal and high-end craftsmanship to give you a clear and fair offer based on the current market.
