Egg-straordinary! Rolls-Royce teams up with Fabergé for deluxe ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’
Luxury car brand and iconic jewellery firm create rose gold and diamond ‘Imperial Class’ Fabergé egg
Few brands are as synonymous with luxury as car manufacturer Rolls-Royce and jeweller Fabergé, so news that the two have teamed up for an ‘egg-stravagant’ project should be music to the ears of any discerning millionaire.
The result of the collaboration is an ‘Imperial Class’ Fabergé egg – one of the same size and quality as the 50 made for the Russian royal family.
It’s themed around Rolls-Royce and features an iteration of the brand’s mascot – the Spirit of Ecstasy – in its centre.
The Spirit herself is crafted from frosted rock crystal, and sits within rose gold arms adorned with nearly 10 carats of white diamonds that define the shape of the egg. The arc of the arms is formed from almost 400 carats of natural amethyst, and the whole creation rests on a base of 18-karat white gold coated in purple enamel.
Opulence, then, is the name of the game with this egg, which stands 160mm tall and weighs 400g.
Unlike most Fabergé eggs, though, the Spirit of Ecstasy has a party trick – at the touch of a lever, the arms unfold to reveal the figure herself.
Perhaps understandably, this egg is a one-off with no price tag supplied – although it’s bound to be highly ‘egg-spensive’. It will go on show in Fabergé’s London window display at Christmas before passing into the hands of an unnamed private collector.
The original Fabergé eggs were produced between 1885 and 1916, during the reigns of Alexander III and his son, Nicholas II – the last tsar of Russia. It’s been discovered that the latter was also a patron of Rolls-Royce – his own incredible 1914 Silver Ghost was sold at a German classic car dealership in 2015.
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, chief executive of Rolls-Royce, said: “The Spirit of Ecstasy Fabergé egg was born from an intrinsic desire to further the realms of bespoke personalisation. Responding to the continuing demands of patrons in search of unique and cherished possessions, a designer at Rolls-Royce sketched an egg, igniting a fascination that will undoubtedly become one of the most collectable items of modern times.”
Sean Gilbertson, chief executive of Faberge, added: “A unique moment in both our companies’ history, the creation of the Spirit of Ecstasy egg represents the meeting of two masters of unrivalled quality and design, showcasing two globally recognised symbols – the Fabergé egg and the Spirit of Ecstasy.”
