Baltu Rotas, Riga

What to buy here: Jewelry.

There is an old belief that one should return from Latvia with a silver ring and then luck will return together with them. These silver rings are called Namejs. All around Riga you will find jewelry which still preserves traditional design and values. There are brooches, necklaces, rings and bracelets crafted based on ancient Liv designs and methods. Many pieces are quite distinctive and unique, since most artists only make limited quantities.

For those interested in traditional items, the “Baltu Rotas Gallery” features a large collection of jewelry reminiscent of ancient Baltic designs. This jewelry has greatly gained in popularity over the recent years. One of its creators, Vitauts Straupe, proudly relates in an interview how he spots their works worn more frequently, noting the Festival in Washington where he saw people wearing his art. Vitauts Straupe and his wife, Inita Straupe, get inspired from actual pieces found by archeologists. The prices for their creations range from $25 to $150 for rings, brooches and pendants, $25 - $100 for earrings and cufflinks, $50-$240 for bracelets. They also have special collections of legendary Latvian jewelry and signs.