The luminous enamels that decorate Carl Fabergé’s works of art are characteristic of a large proportion of the firm’s pieces. Their vividness results from the engraving of the gold or silver surface to which the enamel is applied, either in simple repeated patterns, or in a multitude of ever more complex designs. The application of a translucent coloured enamel allowed the engraved motifs to catch the light as the work was moved, and the most sophisticated sinuous or curved patterns could create the illusion of a moiré silk.