A beautiful necklace comprised of five Russian imperial-era miniature Easter egg pendants each from the period of the last Tsar Nicholas II attached to a later gold chain, in the pre-revolutionary Russian Orthodox tradition whereby eggs received each Easter would be added to a necklace in succession through the years.

From left to right: an egg inlaid with white agate, red purpurine and opaque green glass divided by gold bands; a rose gold egg of classic fluted rose gold design; a gold and sapphire egg chased to simulate native Russian birchwood, set with a circular-cut sapphire; a gold and ruby egg, set with rubies in a 3 leaf clover motif on a textured gold base, and a rare gold egg designed as a turquoise enameled acorn with gold cap. Attached to a later 14k yellow gold chain fitted with gold spring rings so that eggs may be detached and worn separately on another chain or in another manner if desired.

All Russian pendants date from the 1880s to 1910, mostly from St. Petersburg with city stamp, some stamped 56 for the Russian imperial-era 14k gold standard with French import marks.

Pendants average 1 in. (2.5 cm.) long, including suspension ring. Chain measure 18 ½ in. (47 cm) long.

Gross weight: 14.8 grams.

Purpurine is a deep red vitreous compound discovered in a lab in the 17th century and revived in the late 19th century by the Imperial Glass Factory in Russia and by Carl Fabergé in St. Petersburg.