Guldviva's goldsmith and designer Maria Karlström won Vuoden Kaunein Sormus 2024 – Finland's most beautiful ring – with the ring Lily of Love. Of more than 8,000 votes cast, 17 percent went to Maria's entry.
Ten finalists took part in this year's competition. That so many chose Lily of Love makes us both proud and humbled. The ring was created from a personal story, yet carries an expression that many seem to recognise themselves in.
Inspired by the lily of the valley
Lily of Love takes its form from the lily of the valley – a small flower with a quiet expression and strong symbolism. The flower's curved stem and white bells have been interpreted in precious materials into a ring where nature's softness meets the goldsmith's precision.
The lily of the valley is also Finland's national flower. The form therefore holds both something close and personal, and a greeting to the country where the ring was created.
A tribute to sixty years together
Maria created the ring with her parents in mind, ahead of their 60th wedding anniversary. A long life together rarely consists of grand gestures every day. It is built from time, care and the will to continue side by side. Lily of Love became a way to give that love a form.
The ring therefore holds both the flower that returns every spring and a love that has grown over decades. It is a story about beauty, but also about faithfulness and time.
A second win for Maria Karlström
The award is Maria's second victory in the competition. In 2022, her ring EVA won. Two different rings, with two different stories, but with the same foundation: nature, people and distinct craftsmanship.
For us at Guldviva, the win is a warm recognition of the thought behind every piece of jewellery. A piece can be beautiful in itself, but becomes even stronger when it carries a story that means something.
Thank you to everyone who voted for Lily of Love and to all of you who follow Maria's work. You help Ålandic goldsmith craftsmanship reach far beyond our shores.
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