Björn Weckström – a portrait of the co-founder of Lapponia
Björn Weckström is co-founder of Lapponia and the most important designer of the world-famous Finnish manufacturer. The 85-year-old is a Finnish design icon and has been making history in modern jewelry design for half a century. In the 1960s, the designer began to break new ground. The sculptor in him designed jewelry in the form of mini-sculptures - contemporary sculptures with a human backdrop. Expressive structures with character. Jewelry that reflected Finland's harsh landscape. Snowy winter landscapes in silver or matt natural gold nuggets from Lapland. Jewelry without shine and “bling-bling”, like Björn Weckström himself once titled his creations.
The beginnings of Björn Weckström
Weckström dreamed of a career as a sculptor. However, in his own opinion, this job did not offer a viable career option at the end of the 1950s. He therefore decided on a more practical education and attended the goldsmith school in Helsinki until 1956. Study visits to Europe, the USA, Mexico and the Far East followed.
During his studies he met the silversmith and entrepreneur Pekka Anttila. The visionary Anttila founded the company Kruunu-Koru Oy in 1960, which later became... Lapponia Jewelry renamed. The company produced high-quality classic jewelry, but Anttila quickly realized that the international jewelry market was demanding more authentic items.
Björn Weckström in Lapponia's studio (around 1960)
Since their time together at the Finnish goldsmith school, Anttila has had the influence Björn Weckströms followed with interest and was thrilled by the unusual designs. So the entrepreneur Anttila brought the talented Weckström on board in 1963. Weckström became an entrepreneur, designer and art director and eventually founded the factory together with Pekka Anttila Lapponia .
Together they created jewelry with a special expression, off the beaten path of the jewelry world. At first, the jewelry industry didn't like her new, striking designs. One customer summed it up: “Come back in 100 years.” Weckström stayed true to himself and gave in to his inner urge as a sculptor, creating sculptural jewelry designs in gold and silver.
Weckström's first international successes with Lapponia
The designer and artist Weckström designed jewelry according to his own taste. He gave gold nuggets found in Lapland their own face. He avoided the cold, artificial shine of the surfaces and emphasized the natural, matt and warm gold shimmer of the nuggets.
He staged the striking “Flowering Wall” necklace in a similar way. With his own way of presenting gold, Weckström broke the shackles of traditional jewelry design. The “flower wall” made of yellow gold decorated with tourmalines won the Grand Prix at the international jewelry competition in Rio de Janeiro in 1965. Lapponia achieved a breakthrough and received worldwide recognition for its unique sculptural designs.
Necklace Flowering Wall by Björn Weckström
Björn Weckström (left) at the award ceremony in Rio de Janeiro
Weckström's inventiveness went far beyond his personal approach to gold processing. He began to combine different materials, materials that had no place next to each other in traditional jewelry design. He was the first to design jewelry made of silver and acrylic. Cheap plastic and precious metal?
His ring “Petrified Lake” became famous. Former Beatle John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono, who wore the ring, appeared on a Dick Cavett show in 1975. Several close-up photos generated publicity and demand for silver and acrylic jewelry increased. Today the sculptor and jewelry designer is considered a pioneer of modern jewelry design with his silver-acrylic designs.
Ring Petrified Lake by Björn Weckström (1971)
A highlight in Lapponia's success story is the film Star Wars by George Lucas. As early as 1969, inspired by the first moon landing, the Lapponia founder designed the world-famous “ Planetoid Valleys ” necklace. While looking for suitable space jewelry, George Lucas came across the Planet Valleys necklace and bangle. In 1977, Carrie Fisher wore the collar as Princess Leia in the first episode of the Star Wars trilogy. This gave the cult piece worldwide fame.
Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia with necklace Planetoid Volleys (Copyright: Lucasfilm/Lapponia)
Milestones in Björn Weckström's career
The founder of Lapponia In 1979, he received an invitation from the University of Pisa to work as a lecturer. This caused a drastic change in Weckström's life. He spent most of the next 30 years in Italy. Inspired by the Greek bronze statues of Riace from the 5th century BC. In the 4th century BC, Weckström devoted himself increasingly to sculpture.
His formal language ranges from abstract forms to his own interpretation of realism. The reinterpretation of classical Greek mythology was the focus of his bronze designs. He transferred the past into the present and addressed the interaction between man and machine, such as his design “Centauro II” from 1995, which depicts the Greek centaur-horseman on a motorcycle.
Sculpture Centauro II by Björn Weckström (1995)
Various sculptures made of bronze, marble, glass and acrylic resin as well as an amazing mix of materials were created. Public contracts followed. Numerous large sculptures by Weckström decorate squares in Helsinki, such as “Fazer's rooster” from 1991 and “The whistling resident of Helsinki” from 1995.
Weckström's works found their way into numerous museums, various honors followed, and visitors were able to marvel at his works of art in more than 60 exhibitions around the world. In 1986 Björn Weckström was awarded the title of professor.
Sculpture Whistling Helsinki Resident by Björn Weckström (1995)
Pieces of jewelry designed by Björn Weckström
In the long years of his work, Björn Weckström designed for Lapponia numerous necklaces, rings as well as bracelets and earrings in gold or silver. The Lapponia heart pendant in 585 yellow gold bears the designer's clear signature. The natural surface and polished edges reflect his way of working with gold.
The Galactic Wind earrings is reminiscent of the space hype at the end of the 60s and beginning of the 70s, when the first people landed on the moon. The vastness of the galaxy strikingly surrounds the ear. The design was created almost 50 years ago and has since experienced a revival.
Lapponia earrings Galactic Wind by Björn Weckström
Gonda's mask sits prominently on the ring finger. The goldsmiths at the Lapponia Manufactory lovingly handcrafted the unusual ring from sterling silver. Despite its size, the sculptural ring sits comfortably on the hand.
It is a special icon Bangle Darina made of fine 925 silver. Princess Leia already wore the simple bracelet in the 1977 film “Star Wars” by George Lucas. The elegant and subtle cuff went perfectly with the Planetoid Valleys necklace .
Weckström was inspired not only by the snowy Finnish winter landscapes, but also by the Nile. The mighty leaves of the papyrus were the deciding factor for the Nile collection. Made of 925 sterling silver, Weckström recreated the wave-like surface structure of the old bank plant. The Nile bangle sits perfectly on the arm and is eye-catching due to its size.
Lapponia Nile bangle by Björn Weckström
The artist Björn Weckström & Lapponia today
Weckström lives in Espoo, Finland. There he sits on a sofa he designed, lives in the house he designed himself and looks out over a garden filled with his own sculptures. His love for Italy remains unbroken, so he travels to his second adopted home several times a year.
Björn Weckström in his home in Espoo
Like no other jewelry designer, the charismatic Weckström has shaped Lapponia jewelry for over half a century. As a sculptor, he brought art into jewelry design and shaped jewelry design as an independent art genre. Like his sculptures, Weckström initially forms his jewelry works three-dimensionally in plaster.
The designer and artist has now engaged numerous international artists to design jewelry collections for Lapponia. Art combined with the skill of Finnish gold and silversmiths, handcrafted to the highest quality, is still the company philosophy.
The co-founder of Lapponia still works as a designer today. He has a studio in both Finland and Italy. He celebrated his 85th birthday in February. In his honor, Lapponia reissued three of his silver-acrylic creations in limited editions. For example, the Petrified Lake ring from 1971, worn by Yoko Ono, the wife of ex-Beatle John Lennon, the Creature no 5 necklace and the Sorgente earrings from the late 1980s.
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