Sandström de Wit: Craft masters

B ehind the catching and intriguingly international names Sandström de Wit is a duo that has been making eye-catching jewellery for almost four decades. Whether it is a wedding ring, a brooch for a very special occasion, or a pair of earrings that can carry you through the working week, Sandström de Wit has what you are looking for.

Margareth Sandström and Peter de Wit found each other when studying in Pforzheim in Germany — a place so renowned for its goldsmith and watchmaking history that it is known as ‘Goldstadt’, or ‘the golden city’. The two studied jewellery making during the ‘60s and ‘70s, a time heavily influenced by new shapes, methods, lines and inspirations. It was a time for change, for seeking new styles, and of the awakening of a new modernity. Sandström and de Wit have certainly stayed in that category.

The family

Today, their daughter Ida de Wit Sandström also works for the company. As a gemmologist, she is someone with more than an average interest in jewels and rocks. “The whole business is founded on the love and interest of the craft. From mum and dad in the workshop, to our goldsmiths, to the shopkeepers — every person here is so passionate about what we do and eager to help every customer find the right thing for them.”

De Wit Sandström describes the solid foundation on which her parents have rooted themselves, perfectly thought-through, from start to finish. “We always order gemstones and pearls directly from the supplier. This way we stay in complete control of what it is we want to create,” she explains. Sandström de Wit has maintained a closeness to both the gems they work with and their clients, which really makes them stand out.

Together and apart

The couple have worked together for almost 40 years. In their workshop in idyllic Linköping, they have tirelessly built a world-renowned jewellery brand. Yet, despite working so closely together, Sandström and de Wit have each retained their own individual style of expression. If de Wit’s is calculated, linear and almost mathematical, Sandström finds inspiration in nature and carries a softness into her pieces. It makes for a stunning combination, the two styles complementing each other, each making the other complete. “We make art that is uncompromising, that challenges and breaks boundaries,” de Wit Sandström continues. It is an approach that has reaped rewards. Their works can be found in national museums across the globe and, earlier this year, the two received an honorary doctorate at the University of Linköping.

Passion for the craft

Sandström and de Wit are exhibited internationally, from the U.S. to Japan, but it all began on a much smaller scale. Sandström’s father was a goldsmith and played a vital role in kindling an interest for the craft in his daughter. He had some success, to put it mildly. After meeting de Wit, who hails from Holland, Sandström returned to Linköping to build her own workshop, and de Wit soon followed. De Wit Sandström describes two parents passionately dedicated to their craft. “I remember basically growing up in their workshop. My brother and I would sit and do our homework while our parents worked around us. It is wonderful how three generations have become so involved in what is essentially our lives.”

The family business has customers from across the globe. In a world where the distance between the shop and its customers can feel awfully long, Sandström de Wit represents a contrast. If you are looking for that special something, they will find that piece for you. And if you are looking for that special something, which does not seem to exist yet, they will make it for you — and in a way that few will have experienced before.

www.sandstrom-dewit.se