Jeweler. He and his company were responsible for the world renown jewel-encrusted “Faberge Eggs”, which became synonymous with the extravagance of Imperial Russia. His father was a descendant of French Protestants who fled after the Edict of Nantes was revoked in 1685 and settled in Russia and his mother was Danish. He was educated in Germany, where he also undertook his goldsmith apprenticeship. After establishing himself independently in 1866, he continued to refine his skills. By age 24, he had inherited his father's jewelry workshop in St. Petersburg, Russia. For ten years as head of the business, he continued to produce goods similar to other jewelry makers. He also volunteered his time to the Hermitage Museum, where he helped to catalogue, appraise and repair gold artefacts and ancient treasures. In 1882 his younger brother Agathon, a trained jeweler himself, appeared on the scene. The two made copies of ancient Russian treasures and sold them. Goldsmithing eventually became Carl Faberge's primary interest, and he hired Michael Perchin, a Russian goldsmith to assist him in his experiments with gold and enamel. Through careful examination of works of art, the two learned and attempted to replicate techniques of earlier artisans. Their efforts were so successful that even the Russian Czar could not distinguish between the original piece and Faberge's copy of a snuff box in his own collection. Soon after, Faberge became the Supplier to the Imperial Court, and started to produce his famous Easter eggs, as well as many more objects ranging from silver tableware to fine jewelry. Fabergé's company became the largest in Russia, with 500 employees and branches in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Odessa, Kiev and London, England. In 1917, amidst the chaos of the October Revolution, he sold his shares in the company to his employees and fled Russia to Switzerland, where he passed away in 1920. In total, he created 65 of his Faberge Eggs, 57 of which have survived to the present day.