It’s fascinating to see uber-luxurious automakers going off-beat, especially into collectibles and limited-edition things that basically have nothing to do with cars. We have seen automakers dive into the collectible market before, but this time Rolls Royce has teamed up with Fabergé to create a one-of-a-kind bejeweled egg.

The Rolls-Royce Egg is More Than Just An Egg

The bejeweled egg, called the ‘Spirit of Ecstacy,’ was unveiled Tuesday at Rolls-Royce headquarters in Goodwood, West Sussex, England. It represents the heritage of both the companies. In Fabergé history of over a century, the ‘Spirit of Ecstacy’ is only the second egg to be deemed “Imperial Class”; which means it is styled in the same way as the original 50 Imperial Easter Eggs created for Imperial Russia between 1885 and 1917 by Peter Carl Fabergé, the founder of Fabergé.

These eggs are linked to the lives of the Romanov family. During the reign of Emperor Alexander III from 1885 to 1893, ten eggs were created; and another 40 were produced during the rule of his son, Nicholas II. According to Rolls-Royce’s archives, Nicholas II was a patron of the luxury car maker; thus both the companies say the egg “celebrates the history, heritage, and legend for which both Rolls-Royce and Fabergé have been revered over more than a century.”

About The Egg

Although it’s no larger than an ostrich egg, it took two years and seven craftspersons from Fabergé to create the egg. This includes the surprise, which is the signature detail of all Fabergé imperial eggs. According to Fabergé, the design of the egg and the mechanism that opens the vessel is “highly complex, conceived through computer-aided design and animation, and developed with micro engineering.” Talk about modern engineering being combined with traditional goldsmith techniques!

The egg rests on an engine-turned, hand-engraved, purple enamel guilloché and 18-karat white gold base. Inside the egg, which can be partially viewed through the branches from the outside, is a base of 18k rose gold. The branches open by operating a discreet lever at the base of the stand to fully reveal the surprise: the familiar figurine of the Spirit of Ecstasy, hand-sculpted in frosted rock crystal. When the egg is fully open, one can see that the rose gold interior of the branches, embellished with 10 carats of round white diamonds. Those diamonds blend into amethyst swathes that total more than 390 carats.

What They Had To Say

Commenting on the Spirit of Ecstasy, Rolls Royce’s CEO, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, said, “The Spirit of Ecstasy Fabergé Egg was born from an intrinsic desire to further the realms of bespoke personalization. Responding to the continuing demands of patrons in search of unique and cherished possessions, a designer at the House of Rolls-Royce sketched an egg, igniting a fascination that will undoubtedly become one of the most collectible items of modern times.”

Sean Gilbertson, Fabergé CEO, said, “The creation of the Spirit of Ecstasy egg represents the meeting of two masters of unrivaled quality and design, showcasing two globally recognized symbols.”

This is not a mere collectible; it’s a celebration of history - in an egg. These two brands have a rich heritage over the last century, and this egg stands for it. What are your thoughts on the egg? Let us know in the comments section below.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2018 Rolls Royce Phantom.