Switzerland : Fabergé is delighted to announce the historic unveiling of its second high jewellery collection since 1917, the all-white-diamond “Le Carnet de Bal” collection.

The collection commemorates the splendour of bygone Russian winter celebrations – the banquets, balls and soirées that were a pivotal feature of St Petersburg society and Fabergé’s world at the turn of the 19th century. A “Le Carnet de Bal” (or dance card) served to record the names and order of the gentlemen with whom a lady had agreed to dance, and also as a memento of the ball.

Fusing tradition and modernity, and priced at up to $1 million, the “Le Carnet de Bal” collection draws inspiration from winter themes and works by Peter Carl Fabergé to deliver contemporary interpretations of styles reminiscent of the Belle Époque era.

Fittingly, a special and discreet preview of the new collection took place amid uncharacteristic snowfall during London’s Russian Week, when Russian art and century-old Fabergé objects are auctioned by Bonhams, Christies and Sothebys.

The announcement comes just fifteen months after the debut in September 2009 of Fabergé’s highly acclaimed “Les Fabuleuses” collection of multicoloured, intricately set, one-off jewellery creations.