Hall of Fame: Peter Carl Fabergé

Peter Carl Fabergé was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to the German jeweller Gustav Fabergé and his wife, Charlotte Jungstedt. Although the Fabergé family’s history with jewellery can be traced back to the 1600s, the story really begins in 1885 when Fabergé was commissioned to make a jewelled egg as an Easter present for Tsar Alexandra III to give to his wife, Maria Fyodorovna.

• Name: Peter Carl Fabergé
• Date of Birth: 30th May 1846
• Country of Birth: Saint Petersburg, Russia
• Date of Death: 24th September 1920 (age 74)

The first egg was so well received that Fabergé was asked to make one for the Tsar to give to his wife every Easter thereafter. Over a period spanning 30 years, 69 of these incredibly precious, highly decorated golden eggs were commissioned, 52 of which were for the royal household. The Tsar gave Fabergé complete freedom regarding egg designs, which became increasingly elaborate each year. The only request the Tsar made of Fabergé was that each one should be unique and contain a surprise. The gifts inside were often large Rubies and other precious gemstones. Of the 69 eggs known to have existed, 57 have survived to this day.

Fabergé continued to receive international acclaim throughout his life and was later commissioned by the British Royal Family to create pieces. The House of Fabergé still remains very influential in the jewellery industry today.