Robert Tarkkanen, 25, works with tens of thousands of euros every day – Jenni Haukio was also interested

We are sitting master goldsmith Robert Tarkkanen with Tarkkasten’s studio in Helsinki. All around glittering silver and gold jewelry, as well as more precious gems and diamonds.

When 25-year-old Tarkkanen presents his workspaces, you can see in his eyes that he is really talking about his passion, that is jewelry.

Tarkkanen recently graduated as a master goldsmith, i.e. the highest possible professional rank that one can study for oneself in the precious metals industry. However, the passion for the field was born in childhood.

– I’ve been a wild, athletic boy who hasn’t stayed still for a second at school. It has come as a big surprise to many, which field I have ended up in, Tarkkanen recalls to Iltalehti.

Tarkkanen is a third-generation master goldsmith. His grandfather Unto Tarkkanen founded a goldsmith’s shop already in the 1950s. Today, the company is run by Robert’s father, Mika Tarkkanen.

Already as a child, Tarkkanen was able to see up close how jewelry is made. As the holidays approached, Robert went to work with his father and made jewelry he designed himself as a gift for his mother or grandmother.

– After the army, it was quite obvious that I would jump into this job. I haven’t even really thought about anything else, because I always knew that I would end up in this field, Tarkkanen laughs.

Robert wants to be a goldsmith living up to his name and carries his family name with pride.

– I want to challenge myself and eventually become better than my father and grandfather. No matter how much it hurts, I can’t go, I have to grow and build my own career through certain frameworks, Tarkkanen reflects.

Robert has always received direct feedback from his father about his work and has also heard about mistakes. Even more important are the lessons that have been shared in the family business.

– I have learned from my father that there must always be ideas. Some people say that everything has already been invented and done. Our idea is that nothing has been done yet, we are just starting to do it, says Tarkkanen.

Rap jewelry

Tarkkanen has been able to use his own ideas not only in engagement and wedding rings but also in jewelry designed for artists. Five years ago, rap artist Adi L Hasla ordered a piece of jewelry from Tarkkas. Since then, Tarkkanen has been able to collaborate more with different artists every year.

– I usually find inspiration from my customers and their stories. We usually talk a lot and that’s how we plan together, Tarkkanen describes.

Tarkkanen has not personally known the artists before the joint projects, but the artists have become interested in his work through social media and other artists. Tarkkasen has more than 25,000 followers on his Tiktok account.

Tarkkanen has made jewelry for, among others, rap artist William, Korelon and an ex-hockey player For Siim Liivik. The value of William’s jewelry is more than 25,000 euros and Korelon’s jewelry has cost more than 20,000 euros.

– However, not all artists buy large diamond pendants, for some I sell ordinary engagement rings and basic rings for everyday life. However, it has been fun to notice how these days it is possible to make even more spectacular ensembles.

– The jewelry tells the artist about that time and career successes. This is why they want to make jewelry with me, Tarkkanen opens.

Tarkkanen is happy to collaborate with artists, especially because of the big budgets. Usually, artists don’t know how to propose any particularly special ideas, but the wildest ideas come from Tarkkas himself.

– That’s nice for me. We want a lot of diamonds and I like to put a lot of them. There aren’t really any limits, you can propose wild ideas and you just get more and more excited about them, says Tarkkanen enthusiastically.

Tarkkanen admits that at first he was confused about whether the artists really have budgets of tens of thousands of euros, but every cent has always been paid.

– Nothing leaves here until they are paid, Tarkkanen laughs.

Tarkkanen’s jewelry has also been seen on other dignitaries. In 2017, Dr. Jenni Haukio, wife of the President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö, wore a necklace from the Monument series designed by Tarkkanen at the Independence Day reception.

Expensive cars later

Although the jewelry can be of great value, Tarkkanen’s own income remains moderate. It appears from public tax information that Tarkkanen has earned a good 24,000 euros in 2022. Robert became a co-owner of the family business this fall as well.

– At the moment, I withdraw enough from this to stay alive. I invest and build my future. I don’t need big sums or a new Mersu in the yard now, says Robert.

When working with expensive materials, even mistakes can cost a lot. Fortunately for Tarkasen, the mistakes he made have not been a detriment to the business.

– Mistakes of some thousands of euros have been made, especially at the beginning. There are fewer mistakes these days.

– However, there is no project that I could not have taken to the finish line. Maybe we had to change the plan in between, he continues.

In his everyday life, Tarkkanen likes to wear a lot of jewelry. The master goldsmith is currently working on new jewelry specifically for himself.

– We all always have a family necklace around our necks, we got these as a necklace when we were 15 years old. These have the same amount of diamonds and represent each member of our family.

In the same breath, Tarkkanen presents his diamond earrings, which are worth 1400 euros. The wrist is decorated with a self-designed wristwatch.

Of course, dreams also include designing jewelry for one’s partner in the future, although according to an old myth, a goldsmith must not design or make a wedding ring for his spouse.

Ring of the year

This year, 25-year-old Tarkkanen won the Most Beautiful Ring of the Year 2023 competition with his Juuret ring. The ring is part of his masterwork collection. The ring uses heliodor gemstones dug from the soil of Ukraine.

Every goldsmith can send a few work samples to the competition. The selection team blindly selects the top ten. No less than three rings from Tarkasten’s studio made it to the finals.

– It was a bit of a shock and everyone in the industry wondered what was happening here. In the end we had a competition with each other to see who would win. In the end, the result of the public vote was that I won. Father has won twice and now I already have the first one, says Tarkkanen.

– My father gets energy from me challenging him. The level in our company rises and this develops both of us, Tarkkanen continues.

Although Tarkkanen has planned his career far and systematically ahead, he could not have imagined such successes at such a young age.

– This was always the goal and we are on schedule, but to be honest, this has been incredible. It’s a great feeling when people appreciate the work I do.

If Tarkkasen is asked who he would like to make jewelry for in his career, the answer is clear.

– For Swedish royalty. They are the most legendary families in the Nordic countries, with the world’s most famous jewelry. It would be great. However, let’s build a name for a while and then go head in that direction, Tarkkanen concludes with a smile.