Mumbai: The extraordinary story of HBO®’s multi-award-winning television series, Game of Thrones, will be immortalised in a collection of high jewellery creations by Fabergé, the world’s most iconic artist jeweller. Continuing its collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products, the new Fabergé x Game of Thrones High Jewellery collection, which has been developed in partnership with Michele Clapton, the Emmy® and BAFTA® winning Costume Designer for Game of Thrones, will be unveiled at a private event in Dubai on 24th November 2022. The collection will be launched in a series of ‘chapters’ over the next two years, commencing with ‘Chapter One: Dragon’. These new creations are rare pieces of history in the making, set to delight fans, fusing Fabergé’s artistic ingenuity with the fantastical world of one of the 21st century’s most popular television shows.
This unique high jewellery collection has been conceptualised and designed in partnership between Michele Clapton and Liisa Tallgren, Fabergé’s Head of Design, overseen by Fabergé’s Creative Director, Josina von dem Bussche-Kessell.
Fabergé excited Game of Thrones enthusiasts in April 2021 by hatching a special one-of-a-kind bespoke objet d’art – the Fabergé x Game of Thrones Egg – to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the hit series’ debut episode, a major milestone dubbed ‘The Iron Anniversary’. The egg sold to a private collector for $2.2 million US dollars.
Following on from the popularity of this extraordinary egg objet, a more extensive series of wearable pieces inspired by the show is a natural evolution of this creative collaboration. The high jewellery collection lifts design details from the dramatic sets, costumes, characters and the otherworldly landscape of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. Each creation has been inspired by orphan-turned-warrior Daenerys Targaryen’s incredible journey and her passion for her dragons, as well as her ruthless pursuit of the Iron Throne and ability to use jewellery to reflect her power.
The first ‘chapter’ in the Fabergé x Game of Thrones High Jewellery story will be titled ‘Dragon’, and features five designs, with each creation limited to just ten collectible pieces. Black and red – the Targaryen house colours, which Daenerys increasingly embraces as her confidence grows throughout the series – are predominantly featured. This presence of red, which is also symbolic of Daenerys’ fiery spirit, has been brought into the collection via the use of deep red rubies, responsibly sourced from Gemfields’ Montepuez mine in Mozambique. These rare and precious gemstones are paired with white gold, rose gold, diamonds and black rhodium in this striking collection of dramatic creations.
Michele Clapton says, “The collection was inspired by the strength and vulnerability of Daenerys and her relationship with her dragons, to try and express this complex woman and her journey from orphaned exile to conquering monarch and her ongoing quest for the Iron Throne. It sits beautifully alongside the recent Fabergé x Game of Thrones Egg.”
Fabergé’s Head of Design, Liisa Tallgren says of this collection, “The Fabergé x Game of Thrones ‘Dragon’ High Jewellery capsule collection presents different aspects of the mythical creatures, and documents their journey in the series alongside Daenerys. From skeletal designs that reference the dragon skeletons housed in a vault in the Red Keep in King’s Landing, through to creations which showcase Gemfields’ Mozambican rubies to hint that the dragons are back and alive, ready to breathe fire. The crescendo of ‘Chapter One: Dragon’ is a design which spotlights a row of diamonds and rubies which metaphorically burst into flames, showcasing that the dragons are back and full of life”.
The Fabergé x Game of Thrones White Gold and Black Rhodium Diamond Flame Egg Transformable Pendant and Fabergé x Game of Thrones White Gold and Black Rhodium Diamond Dragon Tail Earrings lift design inspiration from the dragon skeletons in an intricate and subtle way. The Flame Egg Transformable Pendant features a statement dragon egg crafted from 18k white gold with contrasting black rhodium plating, suspended on a diamond set chain. The egg has been skilfully formed by flame-like shapes, delicately set with white diamonds which represent the last flickering flames which remain alive, sparkling like a memory of the past. A visual nod to the dragon is interwoven via the arrow-like tail which trails from the egg, almost as if it is hatching and emerging from within. This tail can be detached, as can the egg, to create a versatile necklace. Its transformability is a nod to Daenerys’ character progression and offers enhanced wearability, suitable for both day and evening.
The matching Dragon Tail Earrings mimic the articulated chain of the necklace, and also have a monochromatic aesthetic with the graduation of 18k white gold through to black rhodium. Accented with white diamonds, the arrow-like tip of the earrings are set with pear-cut white diamonds.
The Fabergé x Game of Thrones White and Rose Gold Diamond Transformable Ear Cuff and Choker is an interconnected design, which represents Daenerys’ ability to transform herself and harness her power when needed. It also represents the linearity of her journey from a timid girl to a woman who would be queen, and has an almost Grecian quality reminiscent of the start of Daenerys’ quest across the Narrow Sea. A pear-cut responsibly sourced Gemfields Mozambican ruby is set in a rose gold flame emerging from the dragon’s mouth, symbolic of liveliness that pre-empts the return of the dragons.
The Fabergé x Game of Thrones White and Rose Gold Ruby and Diamond Dragon Ear Cuff is a perfect mix of fierce and feminine, just like Daenerys. The pear-cut Gemfields Mozambican rubies radiate alongside pink sapphires, and the diamond spikes mimic the dragon wing wrapping around, with the dragon itself protectively arching over the ear. The ear cuff is predominantly crafted from 18k white gold, but the introduction of 18k rose gold offers a warm glow, suggesting that the dragons are returning and ready to breathe fire once again.
The crescendo of the collection is the Fabergé x Game of Thrones White and Rose Gold Ruby, Diamond and Sapphire Transformable Bracelet and Ring, a symbolic piece which celebrates the full revival of the dragons. An intricate and articulated creation, a dragon wraps around the finger and then breathes gemstone set fire, which bursts into a statement bracelet. The bracelet is adorned with colourful gemstones, including Gemfields rubies, pink and yellow sapphires and brown and white diamonds. The ring and bracelet, which are connected via a chain, can be detached from each other and worn individually.
The representation of Daenerys’ fiery spirit and passion for her dragons has been represented through the use of responsibly sourced Gemfields Mozambican rubies. Elena Basaglia, Gemfields’ Gemmologist, explains their significance. “Rubies have been long associated with passion, power and protection, making this vibrant red gem a fitting choice. North-eastern Mozambique has become renowned for yielding some of the world’s most outstanding rubies, displaying unrivalled colour and clarity as we see in these striking pieces. Each gemstone has been sourced responsibly by Gemfields, which means it creates a positive impact for the country and community from which it originates, mindful of the environment and proudly bringing benefit to Mozambican people.”
For now, the collection’s next three chapters remain a secret – in keeping with the element of surprise that epitomises the Fabergé Maison – and will be revealed across dates in 2023. These limited-edition high jewellery creations are perfect heirlooms for collectors wanting to acquire modern-day memorabilia that combines the zeitgeist of, arguably, the most successful television show in history with the timelessness and superior craftsmanship of a Fabergé piece. POA.
