Fabergé and James Bond have reveal the first in a series of jewellery and objet collections celebrating the 007 archive.
Initially announced in 2022, the collaborative Fabergé x 007 Egg Objet series sees each collection inspired by a different James Bond film and it’s perfectly fitting that the debut collection takes inspiration from the iconic Octopussy (1983), which featured a plot line centred around an elaborate Fabergé egg heist.
The first pieces to be revealed in the Fabergé x 007 Octopussy collection are the Fabergé x 007 Limited Edition Octopussy Egg Objet and Fabergé x 007 Special Edition Octopussy Egg Surprise Locket. Designed by Fabergé head of design Liisa Tallgren, and overseen by Fabergé creative director Josina von dem Bussche-Kessell, the design of these pieces is a symphony of past, present and future, with nods to the legendary Octopussy film.
The hand-crafted Fabergé x 007 Limited Edition Octopussy Egg Objet is limited to just 50 numbered pieces and stands at 8.4cm tall, crafted from 18k yellow gold and hand-painted with a rich green enamel, carefully selected for its similarity to the enamel used on the Fabergé egg featured in the film Octopussy.
A mesmerising pattern is visible underneath the lustrous enamel – a combination of Fabergé’s signature guilloché, accompanied by an intricate artwork of engraved octopus tentacles which mysteriously wrap around the egg. These tentacles feature minute detail, and provide a level of depth and intrigue to the piece.
The application is a highly skilled technique which takes absolute precision and patience, and is so complex that one week’s work is reserved for this alone. The egg is mounted on a stand which is reminiscent of that featured on the Fabergé egg from the film, set with white diamonds and blue sapphires.
At the centre of the egg, which took seven months to craft, your eye is drawn into the gold 007 logo, which marks the point of entry into discovering the signature Fabergé surprise hidden within. The egg opens to reveal an 18k yellow gold octopus nestled inside, adorned with white diamond suckers and black diamond eyes. The octopus surprise pays homage to the eponymous antagonist at the centre of the Octopussy film. This is also a nod to Peter Carl Fabergé, who was renowned for his quirky little animal studies, both created as charms and as ornaments in hardstone.
Alongside the Fabergé x 007 Limited Edition Octopussy Egg Objet is the Fabergé x 007 Special Edition Octopussy Egg Surprise Locket. The exterior of the egg closely follows the design of the Fabergé egg featured in the film Octopussy, with a beautiful 18k gold lattice framework which is delicately set with blue sapphires and white diamonds in a floral-like design.
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The egg’s surface features a geometric guilloché engraved pattern, to juxtapose the more organic shape of the egg, and each piece has been decorated with green enamel to perfectly pair with the egg objet. Subtle nods are woven into the design, including the bail of the locket which takes its inspiration from the letter ‘O’ in the film’s title treatment.
In true Fabergé style, the beautiful egg locket also offers a surprise – opening to reveal a miniature 18k gold octopus inside, capturing the spirit of the film’s namesake. The octopus has been set with two black diamond eyes.
