GULDVIVA: Timeless jewellery – inspired by the sea and the soil

Meet the handcrafted and slow jewellery, inspired by the beautiful and sometimes rough nature found in Åland, the island located between Sweden and Finland.

In an old smokehouse amongst the boatsheds in Sjökvarteret (the Maritime Quarter) in Mariehamn, you will find GULDVIVA. It started as a small traditional goldsmith’s shop in 1989, carrying out repair work and selling jewellery produced by others. But head goldsmith and GULDVIVA’s founder Maria Karlström soon realised that they had the knowledge and the ambition to create their own jewellery.

EVA, named Finland’s Most Beautiful Ring in 2022. Photo: Tiina Tahvanainen

The inspiration comes from nature around the island. It can be something flying between blades of grass or on the rocks or the sea. “This is where the ideas spring from – with one foot in the sea and the other in the soil,” says Karlström. Today GULDVIVA only sells its own designs in the shop, and several people are working full-time with orders coming in from all over the world.

The jewellery is stylish yet easy to wear and there is a certain sense of calm about the designs. “Our designs are inspired by childhood summers, the sound of lapping waves, bare feet on sun-warmed rocks, your grandfather’s hand holding yours. Each and every piece of jewellery from GULDVIVA holds this feeling, a sort of tranquillity,” Karlström explains.

Maria Karlström, founder and head goldsmith at GULDVIVA. Photo: David Lundberg

Karlström, who is a trained goldsmith, also won the competition Finland’s Most Beautiful Ring in 2022 with the stunning ring EVA. All jewellery is handmade out of either recycled 925 sterling silver or 18K gold. GULDVIVA’s bestseller is BLOMMAN™, meaning flower, a design that was born from the playful relationship between hand, silver wire, and pliers. It’s a timeless design and many associate it with cowslip, called gullviva in Swedish, which is the national flower of Åland.

BLOMMAN™ is so significant to GULDVIVA that the company has chosen to trademark it. With its five hand-forged curves, it forms a shape that many adore and never get tired of. “We started making it in 1992 and since it’s handcrafted, no two are quite the same. Out of all the jewellery I’ve made over the years, it’s BLOMMAN™ I wear the most myself. I always come back to it,” says Karlström with a smile. This timeless design really makes it a perfect gift for those special moments to remember.

Photo: Tiina Tahvanainen

Web: www.guldviva.com
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