A San Francisco-based jeweller has launched a remarkable new design worth $2 million which features nearly 20 oz of platinum, JCKonline reported on Friday (9th January).

Van Craeynest has produced a stunning precious egg, inspired by Faberge and also containing yellow gold, 3,000 diamonds and rubies.

According to Stanislav Kaufman, who crafted the piece entirely by himself, it would have taken Faberge six jewellers and diamond setters in order to come up with a similar result.

He told the news provider: "It's a totally different design than Faberge. And I did it alone."

Mr Kaufman spent 12 years creating the egg and used the technique of chasing gold and platinum over steel dies in order to shape the metal under considerable pressure.

"I had always dreamed of doing something like a Faberge [egg]," JCKonline quotes him as adding. "I call this The American Egg because it is made in America."

While one buyer registered an interest when the piece was advertised in a local lifestyle magazine, it was soon withdrawn as a result of the deteriorating economy.

Source:

An American Egg (09/01/09)
http://www.jckonline.com/enewsletter/CA6627633/2791.html