Kalevala Jewelry turns 90 — what comes next from an extraordinary history?

In 1937, a group of socially active women wanted to bring the beauty of our foremothers' jewelry within reach of modern women. Forty pieces were selected from the collections of the Finnish National Museum, and artist Germund Paaer drew the designs. The first pieces were presented at an event hosted by the President's spouse Kaisa Kallio on 8 December 1937, and the jewelry received an enthusiastic response. That is how Kalevala Jewelry was born, and the story that began at the Finnish National Museum grew into a Finnish design house whose jewelry has been passed down from generation to generation for 90 years.

Kalevala Jewelry was founded by bold, visionary women at a time when few women were active in business. The company's founder was writer and cultural figure Elsa Heporauta, and Aino-Mari Mecklin was chosen as the company's first Managing Director. Every Managing Director since has been a woman.

History as a starting point for something new

In Kalevala Jewelry's 90th anniversary year, history is the starting point for something new. Kalevala Jewelry's design history also includes strong female pioneers. Artist Paula Häiväoja became Kalevala Jewelry's first female chief designer in 1963, and the company's leadership gave her full creative freedom to realise her bold, futuristic visions. She changed the very idea of what jewelry could be in the 1960s. Her own words, "Jewelry is nourishment for the mind," capture her fearless way of thinking about jewelry and its meaning perfectly. In honour of the anniversary year, an entire Paula Häiväoja collection is now being released.

The Himmeli necklace, designed by Häiväoja, returns to the collection in its original form, and the series expands with new pieces. Futuristic and geometric, the design still feels just as relevant more than half a century after it was created. The Himmeli necklace is made to order, by hand, in Helsinki, from 100% recycled gold and silver — in a limited edition of no more than 90 numbered pieces. The Himmeli takes its name from the traditional Finnish straw ornament. Häiväoja's design language also finds new life in the Kehät (Circles) collection, inspired by her 1960s avant-garde silver headband.

The Kalevala bear (in Finnish Kalevankarhu), designed by Kaisaleena Mäkelä in the 1990s, returns to the collection in a reinterpreted form in honour of the anniversary year. Kalevala bear suits jewelry wearers of all ages, including children, and works well as a piece to be shared between parent and child. Drawing on Nordic mythology — and so on Kalevala's own roots — Kalevala bear is a power animal and an amulet, for oneself or as a gift for life's important moments.

Every anniversary-year product carries the anniversary stamp.

"We think of our history above all as a strength and a possibility. We want to honour what came before us, but we don't want to simply repeat history. We want to build on it something that belongs to this era, and look boldly ahead," says Kalevala Jewelry Creative Director Aino Ahlnäs.

The courage to create anew through Finnish craftsmanship

Today, Kalevala Jewelry's design brings together a timeless, sculptural design language and the courage to reinterpret heritage. Timelessness means design that withstands time and use, year after year.

"To me, as Creative Director, timelessness is a responsible choice. I want to help create jewelry that withstands time and use, and whose meaning and value endure from one generation to the next," Ahlnäs says.

Kalevala Jewelry still makes all its jewelry at its own factory in Helsinki. Traditional Finnish goldsmithing, innovative technology, and modern design come together at the largest jewelry factory in the Nordic countries. The company also has its own product development team, continually exploring new, sustainable solutions, materials, and methods for jewelry making — keeping that expertise in Finland for the future.

Kalevala Jewelry's story and Finnish design captivate Japan

Kalevala Jewelry has taken a major leap in international visibility in recent years. Its success in the Japanese market is one example of how Finnish design can cross cultural boundaries.

"It's wonderful to see Kalevala Jewelry's story and Finnish design capturing new audiences around the world too. Design is a shared, universal language. Our 90-year history gives us a strong foundation, but we stay rooted in the present and keep our sights firmly on the future," says Kalevala Jewelry Managing Director Kirsi Paakkari.

A new design competition celebrates 90 years of history

The Kalevala Jewelry Cultural Foundation is an independent foundation, established in 1994, that promotes Finnish culture through grants. In honour of Kalevala Jewelry's 90th anniversary, the Foundation is launching a new design competition, opening on 11 November 2026, that invites participants to interpret Finnish cultural heritage and craft traditions boldly, through today's lens. The winner will be announced in spring 2027, and the main prize is €30,000.

The courage to look ahead, born 90 years ago, also shows in how we are building the future of Finnish design. The story continues.