creations . Today , the spirit of Pihl lives on through Fabergé ’ s Head of Design , Liisa Tallgren , a female designer also born and raised in Finland .
Hand-carved mother-of-pearl clouds , alongside white opals set in 18k yellow gold , are also featured and are revealed as the egg turns – the warmth of the yellow gold evokes the sunshine , and the opals represent the rainbows which emerge through the clash of weather .
In two ground-breaking firsts , Fabergé has applied the complex technique of ombre lacquering to the egg , and has developed a new bespoke mechanism which powers the rotation of the inner egg surprise . The intricate development of this mechanism has taken many months to perfect and has been overseen by Fabergé ’ s Workmaster , Paul Jones , who has over 40 years of experience .
It takes an average of 10 years for Jones ’ s small team of craftspeople to train on the art of hand-painting in an ombre style of lacquering – and only a small number of craftspeople are experienced in this technique . The ombre blend has to be built carefully in a number of layers and using colours which melt at a similar temperature to ensure the lighter and darker blue colours sit perfectly together .
The blue guilloché enamel also seen on the egg provides an almost liquid-like effect . Peter Carl Fabergé was considered a genius of the ancient technique of enamelling , offering over 145 new colours , and establishing himself as a true pioneer in the field , a legacy that the Maison proudly continues today . Enamelling is a seemingly magical process by which powdered coloured glass is bonded to a surface via heat of around 800 degrees centigrade – it ’ s a delicate art , a few seconds too long in the kiln and the piece will need to be re-started from scratch . It takes at least three layers and five firings in the kiln to create the desired translucent effect , to best showcase the beauty of the light reflecting off the enamel and the depth of the detail that lies beneath on the outer egg blades and the egg ’ s stand and ‘ helm ’.
Liisa Tallgren , Fabergé ’ s Head of Design says of the creation : “ The Fabergé x Regent ‘ Journey in Jewels ’ Egg Objet is inspired by the colors of the sea , such as the blues and the greens of the water that reflect and sparkle in sunlight . It ’ s also inspired by water in its different forms – smooth surfaces , ripples , waves and tunnels and white foam , droplets and sharp ice crystals . The rotating surprise nestled inside has been painted with ombre lacquer in colours which reflect the ever changing skies at sea ; sunsets and sunrises accompanied by clouds and ice and raindrops , which unite to create the colours of the rainbow that are captured in the opals .
I ’ ve been very fortunate to have travelled onboard one of Regent ’ s ships , and was taken aback by the level of service and care from the staff , with every little detail perfected – from interior design to cuisine and excursions on land . I was inspired by the whole experience and spent hours on the deck , watching the changing colours of the sky that were reflected on the water , and particularly remember sailing in Turkey , somewhere between Bodrum and Antalya , at sunset when the whole sky and sea were pink , orange and yellow , sailing past purple and lilac islands , evoking scenery from a fairytale which I ’ ll never forget . What I love about cruising is that you can visit so many destinations without having to repack because the suite is your home that travels with you .”
For all enquiries regarding Fabergé ’ s bespoke services , or to commission your own bespoke creation , please contact sales @ faberge . com
THE ART OF LUXURY ISSUE 62 2024