A Russian Crown Jewel Shatters Records, The Fabergé Winter Egg Sells for £22.9 Million

02 December 2025

The Winter egg was commissioned in 1913 by Nicholas II. Photograph: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Zuma Press/Shutterstock

In a dazzling display of artistry, history and sheer monetary heft, a jewel-studded masterpiece commissioned more than a century ago for the mother of Russia’s last tsar sold at auction in London for a record-breaking £22.9 million, reaffirming its place as one of the most coveted objects from a vanished imperial world.

This exquisite object, known as the Winter Egg, was commissioned in 1913 by Nicholas II as an Easter gift for his mother, Maria Feodorovna, the Dowager Empress, a tradition of opulent, jewel-encrusted eggs that marked much of the last years of the Romanov dynasty.

The Winter Egg is carved from rock crystal, its surface engraved with a frosted motif that evokes ice and winter’s hush. Its exterior is decorated with platinum snowflake designs set with rose-cut diamonds. Inside lies a removable basket of carved quartz flowers studded with more diamonds, a secret “surprise” typical of the legendary creations of Peter Carl Fabergé and his workshop.

When the gavel fell, the new price more than doubled the previous auction record for a Fabergé work and blew past expectations, a vivid testament to the extraordinary rarity, craftsmanship and enduring allure of imperial Russian luxury.

The journey of this egg mirrors the turbulence of Russian and European history. After the revolution in 1917 it was seized from the imperial collection and moved to the Kremlin’s armoury. In the 1920s many treasures were sold off by the Soviet government, dispersing objects once reserved for royalty across Europe and beyond. The Winter Egg passed through several hands, disappearing from public view for two decades in the late 20th century before resurfacing in 1994.

When it was last sold via auction in 2002, it fetched a fraction of today’s record price — a stark reflection of how values have soared as imperial artifacts become ever rarer and more coveted. The buyer at the 2025 auction remains unnamed. Auctioneers described the result as historic, emphasizing that only a handful of imperial Fabergé eggs remain in private hands. The sale not only underscores the fragility of history but also the power of provenance: tangible links to vanished empires carry a weight that transcends time.

The Winter Egg now enters a new chapter. Whether it goes to a private collection, a museum, or a foundation remains to be seen. But for experts, collectors and historians alike, its sale is a reminder: objects that once symbolized absolute power and wealth continue to command reverence and that even after more than a century, the craftsmanship of Fabergé still casts a long, glittering shadow.