Creation of Faberge Jewelry

SHOP for Faberge Jewelry  

Materials used to make Faberge Jewelry:

Gold - Each piece of Faberge jewelry is crafted from solid 18k yellow or white gold which is polished to a high luster.

Platinum - Platinum is not generally used with enamel because the temperature required to fire the enamel is too close to the melting point for platinum. Beautiful platinum Faberge jewelry items without enamel are made in limited editions.

Enamel - is a paste of finely crushed glass. Each piece of enameled Faberge jewelry requires as many as 7 layers of enamel, each fired and polished.

Diamonds - Each diamond is hand selected to meet high quality standards set by Faberge
   Cut = round brilliant with 56 facets
   Clarity = IF = internally flawless with very, very slight surface flaws to VVS = very, very small inclusions.
   Color = F-G - this is a high grade for such small diamonds where the color difference is virtually undetectable when set in gold.
   Carat = total weight of diamonds (see certificate) - 100 points = 1 carat of stones.

Colored Gems - Each colored gemstone is hand selected for quality and is a natural (not synthetic gemstone): stones used include ruby, sapphire, emerald, and diamond. Some jewelry designs include the option for choosing which colored gem you would like set into the piece. Carvings may be of chalcedony, natural quartz, or other hard minerals.

Techniques

In spite of technical advances made since the time of Peter Carl Faberge, an element of chance remains in the production of enamel work. It takes several firings at high temperatures before it becomes clear if the object will meet the high standards set by Faberge. The finest creations have up to seven layers of enamel applied on the manually engraved 18k gold body. Gold paillons cut from pure (24k) gold foil sheets are meticulously fixed with a brush under the final transparent enamel layer, also called fondant. The uniquely smooth and glossy surface of Faberge enamel is achieved by extensive hand polishing.

Enamel:  The enamel used in Faberge fine jewelry is made using techniques and materials first developed in France and the term "French enamel" is frequently used to describe this type of enamel. Each of 6 thin layers of colored enamel is hand applied using a very fine brush. After firing at temperatures between 705-820 degrees C, each enamel layer is polished. The seventh and final layer of enamel is clear. Decorative 24k paillons may be set on top of the last layer of colored enamel and then covered with the final layer of clear enamel. The paillons appear to be floating on the surface but are actually underneath the protective clear enamel finish. All authentic Faberge jewelry is made with this labor intensive, hot enameling technique. Replicas and imitation "Faberge" items are virtually all done with a cold enameling process that requires only a single layer and is not as durable.

SHOP for Faberge Jewelry

Guilloché: is an enameling technique in which a decorative design is etched on the gold ground with layers of transparent enamel applied on top. Light passes through the enamel layers and reflects off the etched surfaces creating shimmering effects. Moiré, wave, or sun-ray patterns, break the light in such a manner that all the colors of the spectrum are reflected back through the enamel. The work masters of Peter Carl Faberge perfected this French enameling technique and were the first to succeed in using this enameling technique on a curved surface. The etching for each genuine piece of Faberge jewelry is hand done by specially trained craftsmen.

Paillons: (pie-yons) are the small finely cut 24k gold decorative ornaments added on top of the final coat of colored enamel - they appear to float on the enamel surface, but are actually suspended in the final layer of clear enamel. During the final firing/drying the paillons may shift in the clear enamel - this happens on about 30% of items and these pieces must be completely redone.

Setting the Paillons requires a steady hand.

Design

All items of contemporary Faberge jewelry are produced in a worldwide numbered limited edition and are created from original designs. None of the contemporary designs are copies of old FABERGÉ designs.