Björn Weckström

Björn Weckström (born 1935) is a Finnish sculptor and jewellery designer who trained as a goldsmith in Helsinki in the 1950s. He is best known as the designer of Lapponia jewellery, with his most famous work being the Planetoid Valleys necklace, worn by Princess Leia in the first Star Wars film in 1977. In 1979, Weckström began working as a lecturer at the University of Pisa and has since lived part-time in Italy.

As a sculptor, Weckström has worked with materials ranging from bronze, marble and glass to acrylic resin. The themes of his sculptures draw on sources such as Greek mythology and the development of humankind. His work has been described as a mystical union of beauty and truth, with enigma at its core. Over the course of his long career, Weckström has received numerous awards, including the Lunning Prize (1968), the Pro Finlandia Medal (1971) and the Kaj Franck Design Prize (2013).