Tel +45 32 20 04 44
design@castens.com
Holbergsgade 19a
1057 Copenhagen K, Denmark
During the artistic design process, we work closely with you and strive to merge your vision with refined craftsmanship to create a new piece of jewellery with a unique character.
We take on a wide range of handmade jewellery projects, so whether you need rings for parties or everyday, engagement rings, bridal sets, wedding rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings or other adventurous jewellery, we are ready to wield the tools and create jewellery for the most important moments in your life.
About Castens
When I meet my customers for the first time, I strive to understand the human being and get to the core of what it is that YOU dream of. I do this because I love designing for individual people like:
- Prefer to wear jewellery that no one else owns
- Love jewellery with a deeper meaning or sentimental value
– Values unique designs over standard luxury brands
- Likes things that are created by hand rather than mass produced
-Loves quality over quantity
I design and create bespoke jewellery for people who wish to wear jewellery that is as unique as they are.
My name is Karin Castens. I'm a jeweller because I want to create as much beauty as possible for this world - beauty in the form of meaningful jewellery that we can enjoy in our daily lives. To me, beautiful jewellery is loose, playful and bohemian. That's why my designs are often asymmetrical, with interesting surfaces and a more than friendly nod to French Art Nouveau. My big inspirations are, of course, Renee Lalique and, in Denmark, Arje Griegst and Torben Hardenberg. Some people even call my jewellery fairytale-like, and there's nothing wrong with that - especially when some of them even have dragons as a motif!
I care that my jewellery is created solid enough to be loved now and later become an heirloom - cherished for generations. I like to say that I create jewellery for everyday princesses and other shameless romantics.
We buy jewellery for many reasons: engagements and weddings are the classic, while others simply want to celebrate something personal - whether it's a beloved deceased family member (where we recycle inherited gold or stones into a new piece of jewellery), a new start or perhaps a completed education.
An alternative way into the jewellery industry
My path into the jewellery industry has been somewhat alternative: I'm not a trained goldsmith, but have a master's degree in communication and art history from university. Subsequently, I worked with marketing and communication for a number of years, while at the same time - ever since the mid-90s - I had my own little jewellery workshop down in the basement, where I sat next to the cosy humming guy and worked with the profession that was closest to my heart. Here I improved my skills, as one of my sweet older colleagues smilingly described it, ’the hard way”, even though I also studied at the Department of Precious Metals. A programme for trained goldsmiths, which I was nevertheless allowed to enter after a 3-day entrance exam.
When the economic downturn hit the world in 2008, I, like so many others, lost my job and chose to see it as a blessing. I took the plunge, followed the call of my heart and swapped the computer for tools. Now I wanted to realise my dream of creating portable beauty in the form of jewellery! Today, I run my jewellery shop in the beautiful high-ceilinged premises in the neighbourhood behind the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen. I'm a member of the Copenhagen Goldsmiths” Guild and in 2018 I won a gold medal in the international design competition A'Design Award for the bridal set ”Two Forever". And despite my lack of official goldsmith training, I have been approved as a master jeweller.
When I'm not juggling the incredible number of balls in the air as a jeweller with my own shop and employees, I throw myself into books (fantasy, of course) and the sewing machine. I'm actually not bad at sewing: I reached the final of TV2’s programme Klar Parat Sy!
I live and work in the heart of Copenhagen and many customers visit me in my shop. But I've also designed jewellery for customers as far away as Australia. If you would like me to create that unique piece of jewellery that reflects who you are, you are always welcome to drop by the shop in Holbergsgade. If you live too far away to swing by, you can still book a design meeting, because with an online meeting we can reach as far as if you were standing here in person.
""Once you've read this review, I'm absolutely certain you'll choose to buy jewellery from Castens!""
I had been thinking about proposing back in 2021/2022 and had begun my research on what was available on the market. After careful consideration, the choice fell on Castens and the owner Karin.
From the start, Karin was on board and ready to create a design with me from scratch, and no - I'm probably not the easiest customer, but Karin also enjoyed getting into the creative thinking box.
Based on thoughts, ideas and illustrations, which Karin is also #%%$ very good at making, we designed the “Fern” ring together.
As agreed, I got the ring and my then-girlfriend – now wife – also said YES! Without a doubt – I'm not at all surprised that the ring also had great significance 😉"
Bjarke Ziegler
My name is Bjarke, and I graduated from Copenhagen Business Academy with a bachelor's degree in jewellery design, technology and business. I've been creative and loved tinkering since I was very young, and these two joys later led me in the direction of jewellery. Jewellery is the perfect combination of creativity and tinkering - and it's also alluring in its beauty. My inspiration has always been nature and its unique, wild and intricate beauty: the bark in the trees, the forest floor that sprouts, a running stream and a glimpse of sun between the trunks. Together they form a work of art that has always captivated me.
At Castens, I (like Karin) wear many hats - partly as the SOME manager and generally with marketing, but also with website development, jewellery work and all the other tasks that a small company like ours involves.
In my spare time, I'm a real geek (again, like Karin). I read fantasy daily, have played World of Warcraft for most of my life, and even have a dog called Quest - named after the quests you are sent on in the game. In addition, I love both data and science, and often move around the world of science and palaeontology as a hobby. So yeah... I guess that's pretty nerdy too.
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Have a piece of jewellery created just the way you want it. At Castens, we create handmade jewellery in our workshop for those who appreciate unique designs that have a special meaning to you.
