Jewellery & Watch News
Faberge takes the surprise concept of the Imperial Egg to the next level with these beguiling gemstone-set timepieces. They feature gem-set bezels and casebacks in honour of Faberge’s most exquisite craftsmanship.
The Imperial Egg
Faberge and its relationship with the Imperial Egg is more than just a story. The marriage between the two is one of craftsmanship, creativity and innovation. Few are familiar with the history of the iconic egg and perhaps that story is for another time, but what is important to note is that those famous eggs were created by Russian jeweller Peter Carl Fabergé for the Russian Imperial family in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These iconic creations became famous for their surprise centres, which held special tokens of craftsmanship inside. These masterpieces remain symbols of timeless artistry, influencing creation after creation. One technique worth noting, in particular, was Faberge’s delicately engraved guilloche patterns, which were applied to metal surfaces before being coated with layers of translucent enamel. As the light hit these surfaces, a pattern of depth and radiance came to life, making for one of the most mesmerising techniques offered in the series. Flinque enamel techniques became an influence on Faberge’s watchmaking, too. Soon, these effects found their place in horology – a place where precision and artistry became one. Today, the egg itself has become a core influence for Faberge’s latest timepieces – the Colours of Love Eggsistence watch collection.
The Faberge Eggsistence Watch Collection
The new Faberge Eggsistence Watch Collection is inspired by the company’s most iconic symbol of luxury and prestige. The timepieces are playful, intricately crafted and beautifully elegant. The designs are also inspired by the manufacturer’s motto: “A Life in Colour”. Gemstones, artistic ingenuity and exquisite craftsmanship are all combined in this collection to create some of the most captivating Faberge watches to date. The first and most instantly identifiable feature of this new collection is the egg-inspired case shape, which takes the form of an oval profile crafted from polished stainless steel. The unique shape of the case has been perfected by specialists at Faberge, creating a timeless silhouette on the wrist – some of which have been adorned with an array of gemstones. One model that stands out from all others is the exquisite 18ct rose gold version, showered in a rainbow sapphire and gemstone decoration that captures the colours of the rainbow. Other models feature an unadorned bezel or one that is set with one single sapphire colour.
The case of the new Eggsistence watches has taken a total of two years to perfect and has required the expertise of a team in Switzerland to get the proportions, dimensions and finish of the case exact. Orange, pink and yellow sapphires feature in the single-colour designs, while the rainbow version in rose gold sports green and blue gemstones too. This particular design has also been shortlisted for Le Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) in the Ladies’ category. All of the new Faberge watches for 2024 indicate the hours, minutes and the seconds with a notable degree of style. Look closely at the tip of the hour hand and an egg-shaped motif becomes the pointer for each hour marker. It makes the hand look shorter than normal, enhancing the length of the minute hand, which stretches right out to the crisp black lettering of the Faberge name sitting between 1 and 3 o’clock. At the bottom of the dial, you’ll note a discreet circle-shaped date window at 6 o’clock. It is, however, the guilloche pattern on the dial that gives this watch such an intense sense of depth and detail. The detail looks almost wave-like or fan-shaped, with curves that echo the rounded shape of the case. The numbers 5, 8 and 12 o’clock, all meld into one another in an off-piste Daliesque surrealism.
Sapphire, the gemstone associated with royalty and romance is the perfect accompaniment for these designs. Sapphires are regal, indulgent and wholly luxurious – all values that have long been associated with the brand’s Imperial Eggs saga. The sapphires make for the perfect choice in these timepieces, especially since they’re associated with truth, peace and good health. The kaleidoscope of colours afforded in this selection of gemstones captures the message behind the collection. In addition to the rose gold rainbow iteration, Faberge also offers a stainless steel model with a blue strap and a rainbow mix of stones, which include rubies, mixed sapphires, amethysts, peridots and tsavorites. All other designs feature plain steel cases or ones set with either orange, yellow or purple stones. All of the watches also come with an additional strap to change the appearance of the designs easily, without the need for tools.
Seducing the wearer with idiosyncratic aesthetics, these new Faberge Eggsistence watches require no additional straps to change the bands over and feature Faberge-engraved crowns at 3 o’clock, a sapphire crystal glass front, and are powered by an automatic movement., The Sellita SW1000 performs at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour and produces a power reserve of 40 hours once fully wound. Although the finer details of each watch are a delight to look at, there are hidden secrets within each design. The back of each timepiece has been set with two fiery red Gemfields Mozambican rubies. Only the wearer knows of this secret, adding a personal and exclusive finishing touch to each exquisite design.
In recent years, Faberge has become known to horophiles thanks to the brand’s watchmaking virtuosity. From the Altruist to the Lady Compliquee Peacock, it’s clear that Faberge watches are associated with the finest materials and showcase the highest level of artistic skill. Faberge is known for surprising its audiences and pulls out all the stops in these new Eggsistence designs. If you’d like to add one of these to your collection, you can call and speak to a member of our C W Sellors sales team today on 01335 216004 or email us a question on sales@cwsellors.com
