Fabergé: Imperial Splendour, Jeweled Eggs & the Fall of a Dynasty

Diamonds, dynasties, and a rather extravagant approach to Easter gifts. Welcome to the glittering — and ultimately tragic — world of Imperial Russia.

What do you give an empress who seemingly has everything? If you're Tsar Alexander III of Russia, the answer is apparently a spectacularly elaborate jeweled egg. And thus began one of the most extraordinary traditions in the history of decorative arts.

In this episode of Carats & Canvases, DACE ventures into the opulent world of Fabergé, exploring how Carl Fabergé transformed his family's jewelry business into a legendary workshop patronised by emperors, aristocrats, and Europe's wealthiest collectors.

From the first Imperial Easter Egg of 1885, with its deceptively modest white enamel shell concealing a golden surprise, to increasingly elaborate mechanical marvels adorned with precious gemstones, we uncover the ingenuity, symbolism, and extraordinary craftsmanship that made Fabergé's creations so coveted.

But Fabergé's genius extended far beyond Easter eggs. Exquisite objets d'art, miniature animals carved from hardstones, enamelled treasures, and whimsical everyday objects elevated into extraordinary luxuries reveal a world where artistic imagination knew few limits — provided, of course, that one's purse was sufficiently deep.

Behind the splendour, however, loomed the twilight of the Romanov dynasty. As revolution swept through Russia in 1917, the imperial world that had nurtured Fabergé's success collapsed, scattering its treasures across continents and transforming royal gifts into some of the world's most sought-after collectibles.

Because even the most magnificent empire can crumble — but its jewels have a remarkable habit of surviving.

Join DACE for a journey through imperial romance, artistic brilliance, astonishing extravagance, and the fascinating afterlife of Fabergé's creations, where every jeweled egg holds a surprise and every masterpiece tells a story.