Peter Carl Faberge Google Doodle Celebrates Jeweler's Birthday With Gem-Encrusted Eggs

Google Shows Off Its Faberge Eggs

In honor of Peter Carl Faberge, today's Google's logo is adorned with gem-encrusted eggs -- Faberge's namesake.

A Russian jeweler, Faberge is the renowned creator of the Faberge egg. To celebrate his 166th birthday, each of the letters in Google's logo are encapsulated in an embellished gold egg designed after the antiques. The original Faberge eggs were modeled after Easter eggs and created using gold and jewels.

Born in Russia, Faberge followed in his father's footsteps and pushed the family company to become the largest jewelry business in Russia. In sum, the House of Faberge produced between 150,000 and 200,000 pieces from 1882 to 1917. However, the Faberge egg is by far the most famous of Faberge's designs.

The Faberge egg's worldwide fame may be attributed to the Imperial family of Russia. Beginning in 1885, when Czar Alexander III commissioned the first egg for his wife, Faberge was given exclusive privilege by the Russian royal family to create an egg for Easter each year.

As the family's court jeweler, Faberge designed other pieces for the royals, however the Imperial Faberge eggs, as they are known, carry the most value to this day. Only a small number remain: according to Faberge.com, "Of the 50 eggs Fabergé made for the Imperial family from 1885 through to 1916, 42 have survived." If the Faberge eggs do come up for auction, they are often sold for millions of dollars.

A translucent pink Faberge egg owned by the Rothschild family sold for $18.6 million in 2007.

Anthony Phillips, the international head of the silver department at Christie's auction house, said the importance of the egg lies in its history.

"They're almost a myth," Phillips told Forbes. "There's a terrific romance associated with them, initially with the Russian Revolution. The workmanship of the Rothschild egg is simply extraordinary -- the gold work, the wonderful pink enamel. Every aspect of it was just fantastic."

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