‘I believe high jewellery is wearable art, first and foremost,’ says founder of Mateo New York, Matthew Harris. ‘So it was important for me to make a visually stimulating collection, one that not only looks amazing on a woman but also just moves beautifully. Because each piece was handmade, we were able to achieve this delicate mobility in many of the pieces such as the Pearl Spiral Earrings which won Best in Pearls at the Couture show in Las Vegas, this past June.’
It is a fluidity encapsulated in the pieces which are imbued with a delicate buoyancy, making precious materials appear almost flexible forms. Crafted in New York from 18ct gold, brilliant diamonds and pearls, the pieces tease diamonds into sensual waves and coil ringlets of gold into clean spirals embracing the neck.
‘I treated this collection as how a première seamstress would treat a couture gown at an atelier,’ the jewellery designer adds. ‘My work is often inspired by minimalism, with an aesthetic of simplicity. This collection is just an elevated extension of our brand's DNA. I just truly wanted to enter a realm of fantasy and exuberance.’
The pieces build on Mateo’s signature design codes, inspired by the brand’s philosophy of creating simple pieces to wear every day. ‘It was super difficult to stick to our signature design codes. The challenge was how to merge fantasy and art with simplicity and wearability,’ Harris says. ‘Working in the high jewellery world has its challenges. One was finding the right team of skilled and experienced craftsmen. Like couture, many of these skilled craftsmen and women are no longer around in great abundance. After searching nonstop, I am proud to have a beautiful team and expert craftsmen who have been making jewellery for over 40 years.
‘It has always been a dream of mine to create a high jewellery collection, ever since I was a child growing up in Jamaica. I remember reading books and watching videos of French High Jewellery houses in the Place Vendôme. So it is an honour and a privilege to now be able to create this collection.’
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