Imperial Fabergé Winter Egg Sells for Record £22.9m

A dazzling piece of history has changed hands in London, as the Imperial Winter Egg, a diamond-studded Fabergé creation, fetched a staggering £22.9 million ($30.2 million) at auction, setting a new world record for the famed jeweller.

Commissioned in 1913 by Tsar Nicholas II as a gift for his mother, the Winter Egg is widely regarded as one of Fabergé’s most exquisite masterpieces. Crafted by Carl Fabergé and designed by Alma Theresia Pihl—one of only two female workmasters at St. Petersburg’s renowned jewellery house—the egg is a marvel of artistry and precision.

Standing 8.2cm high, the egg is carved from rock crystal and adorned with rose-cut diamonds and platinum snowflake motifs. Its intricate interior reveals a tiny basket of white quartz flowers, a delicate surprise that showcases Fabergé’s signature attention to detail.

The auction result far surpasses the previous record of £8.9 million paid for a Fabergé egg in 2007. Out of the 50 eggs originally made for the Romanov family between 1885 and 1917, only seven remain in private hands, making this acquisition a rare collector’s treasure.

This Winter Egg now joins the exclusive list of Fabergé pieces that have survived history, wars, and revolutions, standing as a testament to the enduring allure and craftsmanship of the Imperial Russian legacy.