Given by Tsar Nicholas II to his mother, Dowager Empress Maria Fedorovna, for Easter 1906. The Swan, the bird that symbolizes devotion and permanence of familial ties, living its life with one mate, was chosen as the appropriate reference for the 40th anniversary of the marriage of Empress Maria and Tsar Alexander III.

The Egg was covered with a diamond lattice punctuated by diamond bows at the lattice intersections, profoundly elegant yet simple. Inside, the surprise was a mechanical swan whose wings spread, its graceful neck arched and webbed feet moved so that it appeared to be actually swimming. The Swan, interestingly, was made of gold and then plated in silver, and floated on an aquamarine gemstone lake that was encased in a basket of multi-colored gold water lilies. (In 1867, at the Paris World Exhibition, there was a life sized silver swan made by John Cox that was seen by Fabergé and which is thought to have been the inspiration for this piece.)

Our one inch Egg is in the deep blue of water, covered by a gold trellis punctuated with bows at the intersections. At its apex it has the Romanov crown pierced with a bale for wearing, and at its base is a cabochon ruby. When not being worn it is cradled in a matching pedestal stand on a Siberian Jade base. This tiny Egg opens and reveals a white swan swimming among water lily pads on an aquamarine enamel plinth.

Retail: $500.00. Our price: $449.90