Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Made in Norway
Left: Bernhard Hansen’s small jewellery store in Stavanger sells Astrid Hansen’s collection of one-of-a-kind jewellery. Above: As the fourth generation of her family, Astrid Hansen makes all her jewellery by hand.
One-of-a-kind jewellery Astrid Hansen is the fourth generation of her family to handcraft and sell her jewellery in the Bernhard Hansen Gullsmed (goldsmith) in Stavanger. The small shop and workshop, which is celebrating its 110th anniversary this year, specialises in individually designed and handmade jewellery. By Signe Hansen | Photos: Bernhard Hansen Gullsmed
Founded by Astrid Hansen’s great grandfather Bernhard Hansen in 1906, Bernhard Hansen Gullsmed has preserved the original art of jewellery making. Known for its small intimate boutique and individually designed jewellery, the goldsmith is today owned and run by Astrid Hansen. The 44-yearold took over the shop and workshop in 1999, but even though she is part of a long tradition of jewellery making, her designs are her own. “My designs are not at all like those of my ancestors. I would say that the style is classic with a twist of something new. Normally, it starts with stone and then I design from what that stone inspires. Often I use diamonds but in different colours,” says Hansen, who is 56 | Issue 91 | August 2016
a certified diamond specialist from IdarOberstein. Having trained in Copenhagen, Hansen today makes all her jewellery in the same small workshop that her dad, grandad and great-grandad worked in. “All of my designs that we sell here are designed and made in the workshop. It’s a small shop and everything is handmade so we don’t have an enormous collection. Every item is a unique piece that goes directly from the sketch to the customer,” stresses Hansen. She creates much of her jewellery for individual customers and enjoys the creative variety and freedom in this type of work. “If I’m making something for a certain
customer that I’ve met, this will influence how the jewellery will look in the end. My main goal is to create something that I would have liked to wear myself and which enhances the personality of the person who is going to wear it – it has be something that tells a story about them. The great thing about making one-toone jewellery, is that it doesn’t have to be mainstream. When you create jewellery for one person it is possible to make oneof-a-kind pieces.”
For more information, please visit: www.bernhard-hansen.no