Boltenstern: where innovation meets tradition in fine jewelry

In the heart of Vienna, Boltenstern Jewelry tells a story like no other. It is a multi-faceted brand where the natural beauty of 18-carat gold and gemstones meets cutting-edge 3D printing, creating designs that are as light and natural as a second skin. This is not just jewelry, it is wearable art, infused with both history and innovation.

Boltenstern Family

A family legacy redefined

At the core of this vision is Marie Boltenstern, an architect-turned-jewelry designer with an innate talent for seamlessly merging tradition with innovation. She carries on the legacy of her father, Sven Boltenstern, who founded the workshop in 1964. His glamorous haute-couture designs enchanted the elite of the 1970s, exuding a refined elegance that still resonates today. While Sven’s pieces reflected the spirit of his era, Marie has brought a modern perspective, propelling Boltenstern into the future.

Embrace collection bracelet

“I wanted to create something entirely new,” she shares, reflecting on her journey. “Jewelry that couldn’t be made by hand, that felt like an extension of the body-soft, fluid, and endlessly innovative.” Marie’s architectural background and mastery of 3D technology have paved the way for designs that are both unique and transformative. To her, jewelry isn’t mere decoration, it’s a small-scale work of architecture, crafted to be worn. Using algorithms, she creates intricate, mathematically precise patterns that are as mesmerizing as they are innovative.

Embrace collection set

Jewelry that moves with you

What truly sets Boltenstern apart is its revolutionary use of direct 3D printing. Layers of fine gold powder are fused with lasers, resulting in jewelry that is exceptionally detailed, feather-light, and impossible to replicate using traditional techniques. “We work with geometrical formations found in nature,” she explains. “Each design consists of many small elements that come together in a way that feels alive, when you wear them, they move, they shimmer, they adapt to you.”

Embrace collection earrings

The Embrace collection goes even further, incorporating gemstones directly into the design during the printing process. When the pieces emerge fully set, they shimmer, move, and almost feel alive.

While every design begins with precise mathematical rules, the finished pieces are anything but mechanical. The soft, organic curves defy their calculated origins, creating a harmonious balance of structure and fluidity. Though technology plays a pivotal role, every piece is polished and finished by hand, preserving the artistry of traditional craftsmanship. Inspired by experiences and memories, the Elements collection is a tribute to all the individuals, interests, and aspirations that have shaped our journey, defining our essence.

Elements collection Pure earrings

Elements collection Pure necklace

Elements collection Rainbow bracelet

Elements collection Rainbow earrings

Marie’s designs don’t just captivate the eye, they’re made to be worn effortlessly. Their lightweight, supple structures move with the wearer, blending seamlessly with the body.

Beyond gold: FABNORA

In 2023, Marie introduced FABNORA, an accessible and playful extension of the Boltenstern brand. This collection pairs ultra-light 3D-printed polyamide with recycled sterling silver or gold, offering interchangeable earrings that allow wearers to mix and match styles to suit their mood.

FABNORA’s innovative spirit quickly gained recognition, winning the prestigious Inhorgenta Award for “Fashion Jewelry of the Year.” With over 200 partner stores across Europe, the line has become a favorite for those who love jewelry that’s both stylish and sustainable.

Boltenstern is more than a jewelry brand, it’s the realization of a family’s dream. Two years ago, Marie’s husband, Raoul, joined the business as Managing Director. Together, they’ve expanded the brand’s reach while staying true to its heritage.

Boltenstern celebrates more than just fine jewelry; it embodies creativity, technological advancement, and sustainability. By embracing 3D printing and using recycled materials, the brand is setting new standards in the world of luxury design. As Marie explains, “Jewelry is the smallest form of architecture. It’s only by thinking in multiple dimensions that we create pieces that are both complex and effortless.”

An exclusive conversation with Marie Boltenstern

I had the pleasure of interviewing Marie Boltenstern, and to hear about her journey as a designer, the evolution of the brand, and the exciting innovations shaping its future.

When I took over the brand in 2015, my vision was to bring something completely new to the jewelry market – gold collections that are directly 3D printed from 18K gold powder, by creating designs that could not be crafted by hand. The first few years involved intense research in the field of gold 3D printing as we were the world’s first company with the ambition to launch commercial collections with this technology. Next to the research, there was an existing business to manage and a lot to re-structure with our traditional workshop and brand to be fit for the future. I am really grateful that on the way there were true supporters in-house, but also with our production partners to make the vision reality. 3 years after the research started, we launched the first directly 3D printed 18K gold collection with gemstones – our Embrace collection. We managed to scale the production massively through our first B2B project with a large client in Hong Kong to whom we delivered more than 6.000 pieces of 3D printed fine jewelry. On the way we launched our entry brand FABNORA, a mix and match system, combining completely new materials in the jewelry world: superlight, 3D printed polyamide and precious metals. Since two years, we are back to a full family business with my husband Raoul Boltenstern joining the company full time as managing director. Today we are proud to be present in the first 200 retail stores in Europe, working with full power to grow our presence.

Could you explain the innovative techniques and approaches that Boltenstern has introduced or developed in the field of jewelry design and craftsmanship?

The technology of the direct 3D printing allows us to craft pieces that could not be produced with any other existing technology. We focus on developing designs that are gently moving, adapting to the wearer like a second skin. For each of our collections, we look into geometrical formations in nature that we translate into unique systems that consist of many little elements that uniquely perform as a whole in assembly, evoking new feelings when being touched and worn. We always strive to work truly together with our printers, understanding exactly the benefits of the technology. For example, for our most famous collection, the Embrace collection, we developed a completely new way to set the gemstones. The faceted ball-shaped stones that are specifically cut for this collection, are integrated in the jewelry piece already within the printing process. This means that the pieces come out of the printers already linked together and with the stones inside. They are then polished and finished to perfection by our in-house goldsmith team. For our entry-brand, the innovation lies in the combination of new materials of colorful and superlight polyamid that can be mixed and matched with precious metal components. The main product, the earrings, are super versatile and can be matched with any outfit. Every season, new colors are introduced and the personal collection can constantly be expanded. Our 3D printed polyamide that was perceived rather critical, especially by our high-end partners in the beginning, is now a huge success due to its lightness and variability. On top of all, our experienced in-house goldsmiths are essential to understand what would work better with other techniques and to confirm the printer’s benefit. Our learning is that every design that can be done without the printer is cheaper, faster and easier to produce without a printer, this is a confirmation that what we develop is an expansion of the existing world of jewelry, and not a substitution of craftsmanship as some people might assume at first sight.

What’s next? What innovations can we expect in the future?

As first priority, we are refining our collections and have been intensely working on going the next steps in the development of our 3D printed gold collections. This includes some creations that are more fragile and softer in movement with the next step in finishing. The past 10 years have shown us the way of making our innovations truly ready for the existing market and we are eager to keep on expanding our retail network. As the first step in Europe, and we know that there is huge potential globally – as the second step, conquering the next markets outside of EU is the big goal.

Every Boltenstern creation reflects the magic of possibility, the perfect union of human ingenuity and natural beauty. These aren’t just accessories; they are living, breathing works of art.