Poul Havgaard
Danish Jewelry Designer.

Poul Havgaard made a name for himself in the 1960s with his
unique pieces of jewelry and sculptures forged in iron.

With an aesthetic perfectionism and a talent for craftsmanship, he created sculptural organic forms in iron in his workshop in Faaborg: Iron jewelry like never seen before, that made headlines in newspapers around the world.

Over the years, Poul Havgaard has created a timeless and completely unique design that still stands out as a pioneer in jewelry design.

He was discovered by the french fashion creater Pierre Cardin and during years he delivered collections of unique iron belt buckles to Paris.

Savage Rose – Ring – 3D Silver

Five to One – 3D Silver

In 1971, Poul Havgaard became one of four head designers
at the Finnish firm Lapponia Jewelry.

It began with a uncompromising and daring collection of big sculptural jewelry which he named 3D Silver. During 40 years he continued designing remarkable pieces of jewelry in Sterling Silver for Lapponia Jewelry.

During the same period he kept on making sculptures and unique jewelry forged in iron in his own workshop in Faaborg as well as collections produced in Sterling silver and bronze.

The necklace Pretty Earth from the collection 3D Silver was selected in 2010 as the jewelry of the year by Europa Nostra, movement to protect and celebrate Europe´s cultural and natural heritage.

In 2015 the whole collection 3D Silver was donated to Designmuseum Danmark.

Unique iron buckles

Handmade leather bag with iron sculpture

Unique leather and iron necklace

Her Majesty The Queen
– a young Margrethe II with a unique belt buckle

Entire Life – Necklace – Lapponia Jewelry

Visible – Necklace – Lapponia Jewelry

Separation, Condideration and Full Bodied. Bronze sculptures

Excerpt  by Thomas Winding from the book
“Sculptural Form Poul Havgaard”, translated from Danish.
Poul Havgaard is not only a sensuous aesthetic. He is drawn by contradictions, paradoxes. Through the rough and the smooth, the withdrawing and the things that stands out, the round and the edged, he makes new forms that threaten to burst the outer shell. What he is showing us are volcanic eruptions within square centimeters. He can shape a drop, so we understand that it can cause the world’s oceans to overflow.
Poul Havgaard is son of a blacksmith and he is also trained as a blacksmith himself. But he went a long detour, which turned out to be the right and most straight way.
Before he started forging.
He had a true passion for educating and understanding. He had an apprenticeship as a painter, worked as a church painter, theater painter, been a designer for Rörstrand’s Ceramic Factory and made ceramics in his own workshop.
But at one point (around 1960) he began to work with iron again. Made jewelry and belts and became world famous by delivering several collections to Pierre Cardin.
From 1971 he designed jewelry for Lapponia Jewelry, Finland, and exhibited at museums and galleries across Europe.
Poul Havgaard lives in the small provincial town of Faaborg, which must also be the place on the globe where most women wear his belts and jewelry ..
He is at once a local patriot and a world citizen. And in this way, he unites the big world with the small one. Just like in his art.

CURRICULUM

POUL HAVGAARD 1936 – 2011

1958-1960 Designer Röhrstrand Keramik – Sweden
1969-1973 Designer Pierre Cardin – Paris
1971-2008 Designer Lapponia Jewelry – Helsinki
Since 1960, own workshop and store in Faaborg, Denmark
with his wife the photographer Anne Havgaard.

IMPORTANT EXHIBITIONS
SCULPTURE AND JEWELRY

1968 – Teatre Espace, Paris, a long with Pierre Cardin.
1973 – Gallerie Gl.Strand – 3D Silver collection
1980 – Núrnberg
1984 – Köln
1985 – Wien
1986 – European Silver Triennale, London
1986 – Goldsmiths´Hall, London
1988 – Göteborg
1989 – Sydney and Tokyo
1990 – Museum of Applied Arts – Helsinki
1990 – Atelier Bernd Munsteiner, Idar-Oberstein
2006 – Faaborg Museum
2010 – The necklace Pretty Earth selected by Europa Nostra
2015 – Designmuseum Danmark
Represented at Victoria & Albert Museum, London and
Designmuseum Danmark, Copenhagen.