Artist Björn Weckström has always been ahead of his time. As a jewellery designer, he is Finland’s most internationally renowned. He boldly combines unexpected materials such as bronze, marble, glass, and acrylic in both his design work and art. His distinctive and boundary-pushing visual language moves from abstraction to a highly individual interpretation of realism.

Professor of Art Björn Weckström began his career in jewellery. He graduated from goldsmith school in 1956 and stood out as an exceptionally talented and creative student. In 1963, he accepted entrepreneur Pekka Anttila’s invitation to become a designer for Kruunu Koru. This marked the beginning of a new kind of sculptural jewellery design. The company was renamed Lapponia Jewelry the same year at Weckström’s suggestion.

Weckström’s most internationally recognised works for Lapponia in the late 1960s include the Planetary Valleys series and the Darina necklace. They gained worldwide fame in 1977 when they were featured in the Star Wars film as Princess Leia’s jewellery.

A lecture invitation to the University of Pisa in 1979 proved to be a turning point in Weckström’s career, making Italy an important second home through its artistic heritage and aesthetics. In Italy, he also deepened his understanding of marble as a material and its properties.

The reinterpretation of ancient Greek myths combined with modern technology is a central theme in Weckström’s bronze sculptures. In Helsinki, several of his public works can be seen. His works have been exhibited in museums and galleries in Finland and internationally since the 1960s to the present day.

In addition to jewellery and sculptures, Weckström has created numerous unique glass works in collaboration with the glassblowers of Nuutajärvi, as well as monumental glass sculptures made by master glassblower Kari Alakoski. In 2024, he designed his first lighting fixture, “OTSO”, where glass and marble are combined in a unique way.

His studio home in Espoo serves as a permanent exhibition space for his art.

Björn Weckström has received numerous awards and honours, including the Kaj Franck Design Prize (2013) and the Finland Prize (2024). He has also been awarded the international Grand Prix in jewellery design (1965), the Pro Finlandia Medal (1971), the title of Professor (1986), the Cavaliere dell’Ordine della Stella d’Italia (2017), and the Commander of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (2023).