The good working life

We work closely together here.

A staff of five young women and me. Apprentices and journeyman goldsmiths.
For me, it's important to enjoy your work life, because most of it is everyday life. Going to work takes up a lot of life, and that's why we need to get along well.

Being six people together is like having a slightly larger family; it requires mutual respect and care, and we are good at that.

We know each other well and always keep an eye on whether things are going smoothly. We know that not everyone can always be happy, but we try.
There must be room to be human.

Working closely together, helping each other professionally and personally – that's what we do together here.

There's room to work quietly and concentrated on your task, but also to share all the fun things that happened yesterday and laugh together.

Feeling good at work means being heard, seen, and recognized.
It means having space, having influence, being challenged, but also receiving support and help when things are difficult.

''Can you make a difference in the world when you're a goldsmith?

I don't know, but I try, because it burns like a fire within me to want to make everything a little better, a little nicer, a little greener, a slightly more loving place to be.''

My own mentor was a man of his time, a quiet type, but generous and kind.
I will never forget that.

It's huge to provide another person with an education, to help a young woman (as is often the case in goldsmithing today) get started as a goldsmith, from the first filing strokes to the journeyman's test 4 years later.

Since 1995, I have trained 19 goldsmiths, including a Nordic champion and various medalists.
Need I say that it makes me proud?

Skilled women who are out in the world making a living from this beautiful craft, just like me.

Sometimes I'm lucky and find a way to keep a newly qualified journeyman. Freja, Lea, and Vigga all trained here, and work as journeymen for me today.

When you're an apprentice, you have to do something a little difficult every day.
That is a goal.

You have to be pushed and challenged, to be set on tasks you think you can't do.

Beyond that, there are the routines: soldering eyelets onto hearts over and over again, renovating castings, filing rings, stringing pearl necklaces.
You have to learn to talk to people who come here to have a special piece of jewelry made.

You have to learn to calculate prices for repairs and new work, order materials, and other good things.
You also make coffee for guests, handle mail, and water flowers.

Of course, we also influence our apprentices professionally, because it rubs off when ideals are high, that we don't make "something that is gold-plated."
That we use genuine stones and no synthetics, that we always do the best we can.
Actually, for many years I've thought that when you've finished your apprenticeship here, you are equipped to go out into the world and start your own place.