Sapphire and Diamond necklace by Carl Faberge’ formed from thirteen graduating clusters of

Sapphire and Diamond necklace by Carl Faberge’ formed from thirteen graduating clusters of oval, brilliant cut, blue sapphires encircled by rose cut diamonds, joined by rose and brilliant diamond set bows suspending diamond set floral swags supported on openwork galleries set in silver, mounted on gold. 

By Faberge’s chief jeweler, Albert Holmstrom, St Petersburg, circa 1908.

This necklace is an incredibly rare work of art by Carl Fabergé. We know that items of jewellery were amongst the most expensive objects you could purchase from Fabergé (the most expensive purchase made in Fabergé’s London shop was a tiara). A jewel on the scale of this necklace would have been a very substantial purchase, and few people would have been able to afford it. 

It is remarkable that the necklace has survived, as most necklaces were destroyed after the revolution in 1917, when they were broken up by the Soviets, to extract precious and valuable stones. As a result, most surviving necklaces come from European families, because they were either bought outside of Russia, or taken out of the country once they had been purchased.

Wartski, 14 Grafton Street