Serena Kutchinsky & Carol Woolton: The Lost Fabergé Egg

What would you do if your family’s greatest treasure vanished without trace? Journalist Serena Kutchinsky joins Carol Woolton – historian, former Vogue Jewellery Editor, and author of If Jewels Could Talk – to discuss Kutchinsky’s Egg, her extraordinary memoir of obsession, ambition, family secrets and a missing masterpiece worth millions.
When Serena’s father, heir to the celebrated House of Kutchinsky, gambled everything on creating the most spectacular jewelled egg ever made, the consequences would reverberate through generations.
Part family saga, part detective story and part treasure hunt, this remarkable true story spans London’s East End, high society, the international jewellery world and a decades-long search for answers. Rich with glamour, mystery and emotion, it’s a tale almost too extraordinary to be true.
This event will be chaired by Carol Woolton, jewellery historian, author and former jewellery editor of British Vogue, who has spent her career exploring the extraordinary stories behind the world’s most dazzling treasures. An acclaimed author and international exhibition curator, she’s equally fascinated by the people, power and passions behind the sparkle. Her podcast, If Jewels Could Talk, gives precious stones a voice, while her forthcoming exhibition at Florida’s Flagler Museum explores the glittering excesses of the Gilded Age. A member of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths and co-founder of The Leopards, which champions the next generation of jewellery talent, Carol knows that the most fascinating stories are often hiding beneath the surface. She brings her eye for glamour, intrigue and the finer details to this conversation with Serena Kutchinsky.
Folkestone Book Festival is our annual celebration of stories, ideas and conversation by the sea. Curated by novelist Sophie Haydock (The Flames, Madame Matisse), this year’s festival brings together more than 60 events across two weeks, welcoming world-class writers, thinkers and storytellers to Folkestone.
Discover another event, browse the bookshop, explore Folkestone’s vibrant arts scene, independent cafés, bars and galleries, and share the experience with a friend. The best festivals are as much about the conversations between events as those on stage.
The Festival is part of Folkestone is a Library, our ambitious town-wide celebration of reading, writing and storytelling, helping make Folkestone one of the UK’s most exciting literary destinations.
We believe great conversations should be for everyone, which is why every event includes a £5 Cost of Living Ticket, available with no questions asked.
Please help us spread the word. Together, we’re building a thriving community of readers, writers and curious minds.
Folkestone Book Festival is proudly supported by Eurotunnel, Canterbury Christ Church University, Holiday Extras, and the Friends of Folkestone Book Festival. Creative Folkestone is supported by Arts Council England, Folkestone & Hythe District Council and Saga. Founding Funder The Roger De Haan Charitable Trust.