The head goldsmith of Guldviva
Maria Karlström
With her unique ability to notice the beauty others might overlook, Maria Karlström has spent nearly four decades transforming nature, emotions, and memories into silver and gold.
Maria is the beating heart and creative force behind Guldviva, shaping each piece with intention and care.
"Jewellery is always about emotions. Every person who owns a precious piece of jewellery will remember who gave it to them, when they got it and why."
Maria Karlström
Inspiration in what's nearby
Life on an island, surrounded by a vast archipelago, offers an endless connection to nature and the sea. For Maria, this closeness is her greatest inspiration. Her designs and collections often take shape while she’s outdoors, with her senses open and her attention tuned in to the world around her.She has a natural ability to observe shapes and forms, finding stories in everyday details: in a flower or pine cone, in two crossing twigs or a cluster of beach stones that suddenly come alive with meaning.
When Maria crafts jewellery, she brings these stories to life, capturing the shape, texture or sensation of nature into the element of metal, and passing it on to those who will wear her creations.
- "A lot of my jewelry is popular precisely because people understand what I want to say. They become intimate and understandable, easy to absorb, recognize and wear every day," she says.
Connection through jewellery
Over the years, many people have worn Guldviva jewellery close to their hearts. Maria treasures the bond between herself and the people wearing her creations, and loves hearing people´s stories about the gifts, purchases, moments and experiences related to Guldviva. The eternal life of silver and gold let Guldviva jewellery pass down through generations, carrying emotional weight and meaning.
- We give precious jewellery to people we love, value and cherish, or we gift them to ourselves to manifest an emotion or experience. Jewellery is a symbol of love, life and meaningful moments. It connects us to the people who walked this earth before us and leaves memories for those who will follow.
The creative journey
At the age of 18, Maria Karlström began her career as an apprentice with goldsmith Kaj Rinman in his workshop in Mariehamn, Åland. She quickly discovered her passion for the craft. In a small place like Åland, everyone needs versatility, and in this profession that means being equal parts goldsmith, silversmith and jeweller. Working with Kaj, Maria gained a deep understanding of both intricate designs, precious stones and larger creations, and was inspired to express emotion with metals.
Her creativity soon set her apart. Besides her skills in craftsmanship and design, Maria brought a determined entrepreneurial spirit, driven by a tireless forward drive. For this, she credits her father, a lifelong innovator, constantly developing ideas and running new projects.
- If I raised an idea at the family dinner table, it was never dismissed as too difficult or unrealistic. Instead, we´d end up planning what would be the first and next step to make it happen.
The name Guldviva is a play with words, inspired by the Åland provincial flower ‘gullviva’ (cowslip) and the Swedish word for gold - guld. Viva derives from the Latin word for ´life force´ or ´to live´. Indeed, Guldviva is a fundamental part of Maria Karlström´s life - starting in 1989 with her first shop selling her own designs and through decades growing into today's thriving creative universe.
Honours and recognition
Although Maria herself prefers to highlight the ordinary people who own and cherish her jewellery, her work has been worn by several notable people, including Crown Princess Victoria, President Tarja Halonen, TV host Agnetha Sjödin, director Tiina Lymi, actress Amanda Jansson and singer Lill Lindfors.
Maria has also earned several awards and honours. In 2024, her Lily of Love ring was recognised as Finland’s Ring of the Year, and in 2022 the ring Eva received the same award. And in 2025, Maria was honoured with the title Goldsmith of the Year in Finland, an award given by the Finnish Goldsmiths' Association.
- It is the greatest thing that has happened to me, to be voted for by other professional goldsmiths. It feels almost unlikely to win an award like this from little Åland. It is a very great honor, and a confirmation that we have succeeded in the world of jewelry and design, says Maria.
