A ruby, enamel and diamond egg pendant, Russia, late 19th/ early 20th century, applied with guilloché enamel in light blue, with a trefoil motif set with three circular-cut rubies and three rose-cut diamonds in the stem, stamped 56 Zolotnik to bail, total length 2.2cm.

 A stunning ruby, enamel, and diamond egg pendant from Imperial Russia, dating to the late 19th or early 20th century. This exquisite piece features light blue guilloché enamel, elegantly adorned with a trefoil motif. The motif is set with three vibrant circular-cut rubies and accented by three delicate rose-cut diamonds along the stem. The bail is stamped with "56 Zolotnik," indicating the Russian gold standard of the period. A true example of fine craftsmanship, the pendant measures 2.2 cm in total length.

 Condition: there is a slight damage to the enamelling on the base of the pendant, clearly photographed but not visible when worn. 

The egg pendant became a celebrated style in Russia, popularised by Carl Fabergé, the renowned royal jeweller. Fabergé crafted his first iconic egg pendant as a special commission from Czar Alexander III for his wife, Empress Maria, to mark Easter, the most significant holiday in Russian Orthodoxy. The idea is said to have been inspired by the Empress's fond childhood memories of a bejewelled Easter egg that belonged to her aunt, Princess Wilhelmine Marie of Denmark. Her admiration for the piece reportedly led the Czar to surprise her with the first Fabergé egg as a remarkable Easter gift.

Date: circa 1900

Weight: 3.7g

Size: total length 2.2cm

Stones: Rubies, diamonds

Hallmarks: stamped 56 Zolotnik to bail