Our Story

Started at 70s from a goldsmith's tradition and grown into a three-generation story Laatukoru is a Finnish-based family business that believes in high-quality jewellery production and that customers should be served in a versatile and flexible manner. This means a network of 12 stores, an always open online store and our own jewellery workshop where jewellery is still largely handcrafted and our customers' wishes are still fulfilled. Laatukoru represents our own Silván diamond jewellery collection and well-known jewellery and watch brands, offering one of the most comprehensive selections in the industry in Finland.

We are privileged to be involved in the most memorable moments of people's lives, remembering loved ones and many other important events. In 50 years, we have seen a lot and development and with determination we have developed our business during the time.

Discover our story; Laatukoru's and Silván Jewellery's steps from the 70s to the present day.

Young Goldsmith Keijo Silván

The story of the Laatukoru began in 1972, when goldsmith Keijo Silván set up a goldsmith's workshop in the basement of his own house. While working as a young goldsmith, Keijo had the idea of becoming an entrepreneur and working for himself. When he noticed that there was a great demand for a specific chain necklace, he decided that there was just the right amount of space in the basement to make chains.

In the basement of his house in the city of Hyvinkää, Finland, he started making chains for wholesale. His company's main product was the golden bracelet and necklace chains known as X-chain and for this he purchased machine from Italy. In keeping with the spirit of the times, a salesman visited the workshop on Mondays to collect the previous week's production and sell it forward to jewellery stores around Finland.

Since the beginning, the family has played a tangible role in the business. As sales of X chains increased, Keijo's wife Maija Silván opened a shop in a room next to the workshop (also inside their own house), and when Keijo needed extra hands for the workshop, he hired his brothers as employees.

The first physical store in the centre of Hyvinkää

In 1978, the business, which had served customers from Keijo's basement of their private house, had grown to the point where it was time to move on. So the company opened its first physical store at a street called Hämeenkatu 13 in Hyvinkää and looked for larger premises for the workshop nearby, in the centre of Hyvinkää. Maija and Keijo continued to work closely together, with Maija running the store and Keijo running the workshop.

A significant aspect of opening the first store was that, in addition to wholesale sales, the company started to serve customers directly. In addition to their own production, the retail of other jewellery and watch manufacturers' products was gradually introduced.

The 1980s was a period of early growth for the company, when a second store was opened in the centre of Hyvinkää and expansion outside Hyvinkää began. A third store was opened in the city of Riihimäki in 1989.

1990 Entrepreneur Award from the Entrepreneur Association of Hyvinkää, Finland

The entrepreneurial couple Maija and Keijo became well-known in their local city of Hyvinkää. They were awarded in 1990 as Hyvinkää Entrepreneurs of the Year. The recognition from the local entrepreneurs' association was a testament to their successful business and its importance at the local level.

A Second Generation Gets Involved in the Business

In 1992, another significant step in the history of the family business was taken when Keijo's and Maija's sons Ari and Olli joined the company as owners. Of course, both brothers had been involved since their early teenage years, but now they also took on the role of shareholders. In the 1990s, Ari took over as CEO and was responsible for the store network, while Olli took the lead in developing the workshop and production.

In the same year, the Hyvinkää stores merged and eventually moved to the shopping centre Jussintori. Laatukoru's Hyvinkää store is still located at the same place today.

In the late 1990s, expansion to the Helsinki (Capital of Finland) also began with the opening of a store on Pohjoisesplanadi 35 address in Helsinki. The store at Pohjoisesplanadi 35 is also still in its original location.

Silván Diamond Jewellery

In the first decades of the company in the workshop has focused mainly of chain production. However, by the 1990s the demand for chains was on slowing. The salesmen had been tipped off that there was a demand for diamond rings.

In the late 1990s, the workshop entered a new phase of production when it started manufacturing diamond rings such as engagement rings, wedding rings and wedding bands. A jewellery brand was born carrying the name of Keijo's last name: Silván Jewellery. The early collection consisted of diamond rings made by the goldsmiths working in the Laatukoru workshop, both for wholesale and for their own stores.

Silván Jewelry was awarded the Key Flag of the Finnish Union

In 2009 Silván Jewelry was awarded the Key Flag of the Finnish Union from the Association for Finnish Work. The award represents of a sign of Finnish work.

Silván Diamond jewellery had been produced in the Hyvinkää workshop for a dozen years by then, and production had expanded from rings to various types of jewellery. diamond rings, diamond earrings and diamond pendants. From the beginning, recycled gold had been used in the production of jewellery and since the 2009, all the jewellery had been made from recycled gold. All the gold used in Silván jewellery was 100% recycled through Laatukoru's own stores. At that time, Laatukoru already had such an extensive network of physical stores that all the gold used could be bought directly from customers. In this way, the "old gold" bought from customers was reproduced and fine gold is used in manufacturing new Silván diamond and gold jewellery. After 2009 there has been no need to use new gold.

Read more about ecology and gold recycling

National Entrepreneur Award

Finnish Entrepreneurs Association awarded Laatukoru Oy with a national entrepreneur award in 2009. Laatukoru was awarded together with three other Finnish companies whose business has grown tens of years despite the economic downturns.

The same year will also see the launch of online store. In this first version of the online store, orders were collected by email and the business was still small. However, this early version of e-commerce was the start of something bigger.

The 2000s century also saw an expansion of store operations, with Laatukoru stores opening in the city of Espoo in several shopping centre locations, such as Sello, Iso Omena and Lippulaiva.

The Third Generation Joins to Company

The 2010s were a new era for the company as the third generation joined the business. Olli's daughters Rosa and Charlotte and Ari's sons Henri and Lauri took on a greater role in the company. Rosa and Charlotte contributed in the shops, while Lauri became interested in jewellery manufacturing and Henri in the online store.

In the early 2010s, the company realized the true potential of e-commerce and started to make clear investments in e-commerce development from 2015 onwards. In the beginning, the online store was run in the back room of the main store by Henri and the store staff.

At the same time, the store operations are also expanding, with Laatukoru stores opening in the city of Lappeenranta, Raisio, Helsinki (shopping center REDI and Tripla).

E-commerce is Growing and Becoming More Stable

In spring 2020, the global pandemic challenged companies to rethink the way they do business. The strong e-commerce development initiated by Laatukoru in previous years brought help in challenging times. E-commerce grew and stabilised. The first employees were hired and the online store moved to its own premises in Hyvinkää.

Between 2020 and 2021, the physical stores faced challenging times as the second and third waves of the pandemic changed people's shopping behaviour and their movements in public places. All in all Laatukoru coped well with the challenges of the pandemic. At the same time, the 12 stores, a growing online store and its own workshop, were creating a true multi-channel business model. This meant a common product range and stock system, as well as an internal transport system, which meant more flexibility and a wider range of services for customers, whether they shop in a store or online.

In 2021, the company also opened an international online store and started shipping to other European countries.

Laatukoru: 50 Years in Business

In 2022 Laatukoru celebrated its 50th anniversary. The company employs a total of 80 people in 12 stores, an online store and a goldsmith's workshop. The company believes in a multi-channel business model, where the customer is offered the best customer experience through seamless cooperation between the stores, the online store and the workshop. The family business is still run by two generations, Keijo and Maija Silván's sons Ari and Olli and their spouses, and their children Henri, Lauri, Rosa and Charlotte.

Keijo Silván's 50-year goldsmith tradition, started in 1972, lives in Silván Jewelry which are handcrafted in the company's own jewellery workshop and its birthplace in Hyvinkää, Finland. Although nowadays the workshop is equipped with modern tools such as 3D printers, the traditional craftsmanship lives on and is appreciated. In this way, customers are offered high-quality diamond jewellery made in Finland from 100% recycled gold and responsible diamonds.

Read more Silván-about diamond jewellery