KK
- Maker
- Kaunis Koru attributed, not confirmed
- Struck in
- Helsinki, Finland attributed, not confirmed
- In use
- 1956–1989 attributed, not confirmed
- Recorded on
- 1 piece
This mark, consisting of stylized back-to-back letters forming a mirrored "KK," represents Kaunis Koru Oy, a celebrated Finnish design workshop established in 1956 by Martta Ritvanen. Kaunis Koru operated as an important center for Mid-Century Nordic modernist jewelry, commissioning work from prominent designers who favored clean, organic, and sculptural forms often paired with native Finnish gemstones such as spectrolite.
Pieces bearing this mark were produced in Finland and typically carry a comprehensive suite of official Finnish control marks. These standard companion stamps include the national crown mark inside a heart, the silver fineness grade (such as "925H" or "830H"), the Helsinki city mark (depicting a boat under a crown), and a standardized Finnish year letter-number date code.
To distinguish this mark from other makers using the initials "KK," look for the distinct stylized back-to-back monogram format and the presence of the accompanying Finnish assay control punches. Kaunis Koru continued independent production under this hallmark until the company was merged into Kalevala Koru in 1989.
Available now with this mark
If your piece also carries Finnish control marks, here is how to date it
Finnish silver of this period is struck with a suite of marks, not one. A crown inside a heart says the piece was made in Finland; a crown inside an oval says it was imported. The fineness follows — 925H or 830H — then the assay town, Helsinki's being a boat under a crown.
The year is the letter-and-digit pair, and it is worth learning because it is exact. The sequence runs A = 1810 straight through the alphabet, skipping J and W, and adds a digit each time the letters run out: A2 begins 1834, A7 begins 1954, A8 begins 1978.
| Struck | Means |
|---|---|
| V6 | 1950 |
| G7 | 1960 |
| R7 | 1970 |
| C8 | 1980 |
| N8 | 1990 |
| Y8 | 2000 |
What this entry is based on
- one piece carrying this mark, handled and photographed by this shop Written with the piece in hand. No published hallmark reference covers most of these marks.
Nothing outside this shop has been checked for this mark yet. What is above comes from the pieces themselves and from what was written while they were in hand.
Know something we don't about this mark? Tell us — corrections from collectors are how a reference like this gets better.