Co-designed by Fabergé and Michele Clapton, the Emmy® and BAFTA® winning costume designer from Game of Thrones, this one-off work of art is history in the making and offers a unique opportunity for one individual to acquire a modern-day heirloom.
The exterior of this one-of-a-kind bespoke creation is reminiscent of Daenerys’ dragon eggs, with swathes of irregular scales wrapping around the egg in a swirl-like pattern representative of the fire exhaled by her dragons. The piece will be hand-crafted from 18k white gold.
The scales will be meticulously hand-painted with enamel in tones of violet, red, blue and grey – colours inspired by Daenerys’ costumes throughout the series and accented with diamonds and moonstones.
Peter Carl Fabergé was considered a genius of the ancient technique of enamelling, inventing over 145 new colours and establishing himself as a true pioneer in the field. Fabergé proudly continues this legacy. Enamelling is a seemingly magical process by which powdered coloured glass is bonded to a surface via heat of 900 degrees centigrade – it is a delicate science, a few seconds too long in the kiln and the piece will need to be re-started from scratch. This highly complex and delicate technique requires great skill and many years of experience.
Fabergé’s craftspeople will meticulously hand-paint the unique coloured powders onto the egg’s surface; when heated, the powder melts, flows and hardens into a lustrous, shiny surface. It can take up to five layers and five firings in the kiln to create the desired effect. Perfection takes time.
An 18k white gold cut-out dragon tail will wrap around the base of the egg, punctuated with white diamonds. This design is reminiscent of the jewellery worn by Daenerys throughout Game of Thrones.
In true Fabergé style, the egg conceals a surprise hidden within.
The enthralling object opens in three sections, representing Daenerys’ dragons within the series; Drogon, Rhaegal and Viserion. The interior is as beautiful as the exterior, with flame-like scales which graduate from a pavé of deep red Gemfields rubies at the bottom through to pink sapphires and white diamonds at the tips. A black rhodium plating to the white gold adds depth and frames these colourful gemstones.
These rubies will be sourced from Gemfields’ Montepuez mine in Mozambique. A world-leading supplier of responsibly sourced coloured gemstones, Gemfields believes that those who mine gemstones should do so with transparency, legitimacy and integrity. Responsible sourcing for Gemfields means implementing industry-leading policies and practices across operations, transparency in its auction sales process, an active role in working groups to modernize the sector, projects to improve health, education and livelihoods for the communities around its mines and conservation efforts (#conservationgemstones) to protect Africa’s great wildlife and biodiversity.
Once open, another element is revealed – a second 18k white gold egg which is intricately pierced out to form three dragons, set with white diamonds. This smaller egg protectively encases a surprise.
Daenerys’ journey to becoming queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros reached a climactic end in season eight of Game of Thrones. However, due to a series of events, her highly anticipated coronation ceremony never was.
The trio of dragons opens to reveal a beautiful surprise in the form of a crown sat majestically atop a glistening crystal base. This is a miniature version of the crown that would have been presented to Daenerys when she took her place on the Iron Throne and represents an imagined continuation of her saga.
The crown will be hand-crafted from 18k white gold and set with a pear-cut Gemfields ruby that represents Daenerys, her house colour, and her fiery spirit.
Michele Clapton, Game of Thrones’ Costume Designer:
“From the very beginning, the evolution of this egg object has been truly poetic. The design references Daenerys Targaryen’s incredible journey and the importance of colour within her costumes, her passion for her dragons, and the way she portrayed messages via her jewellery throughout her journey on the show. References from the textures of the dragons and their iconic eggs were used to inform the surfaces of this egg object.”
“When I first spoke with Liisa Tallgren, Fabergé’s Designer, we began by sharing our stories. I spoke about Daenerys Targaryen’s incredible journey and the importance of colour within her costumes, and her passion for her dragons. As part of this process, we discovered colour was a huge part of our shared journey. Fabergé shared their incredible story and allowed me access to their unbelievable artistry and detail using gemstones and metals. I discovered the amazing variety of shades available within gemstones, and the beautiful metal finishes that were available. This helped so much as I thought that it was important for the egg to have a sense of strength, using colours with cool hues rather than warm, and to ensure that there was a movement of colour over the egg’s surface.”
“We discussed that it was important to have a darkness to some elements and that we should use the dragons’ wings to protect the secret gift that represents her.”
“The textures of the dragons and their eggs have informed the surfaces of the Fabergé egg. Much the same way that I used these references to create texture in her costumes with quilting, embroidery and beading.”
“I knew instantly what the secret gift should be, there was never a doubt; it had to be the crown that Daenerys believed throughout her life was her destiny. With the crown, I referenced her dragons, their wings sweeping around protecting the beautiful Gemfields ruby that represents Daenerys, her house colour, and fierce quest to rule. The central dragon on the crown is Drogon, the last surviving dragon, larger than the two others as he continues to hold her aloft – loyal even in death.”
Liisa Tallgren, Fabergé’s Designer:
“I was thrilled when I heard about the idea of collaborating with Michele Clapton and creating a Game of Thrones Egg. It was such an epic series with a captivating storyline and visually stunning imagery. It was a perfect fit for inspiring a modern Fabergé egg. I enjoyed thoroughly working with Michele, and I love the world of costumes she created for Game of Thrones. There is something wild yet sophisticated in her style and when combined with precious materials and work of highly skilled jewellers, the result is very special and beautiful.”
Josina von dem Bussche-Kessell, Fabergé’s Global Sales & Business Development Director:
“Fabergé has an unrivalled ability to commemorate significant milestones with its objets d’art, that tell tales of intrigue and mystique. We are delighted to pay tribute to the modern-day legend that is the Game of Thrones series. Rarely has a story captured the imagination of so many people around the world, and this one-off piece is a once-in-a-lifetime collector’s item. The partnership with Warner Bros. and Michele Clapton showcases Fabergé’s relevance today by encapsulating the ‘Zeitgeist’ of storytelling and artistry.”
