For The Love Of Diamonds

Mateo founder Matthew Harris’ journey to Botswana
reminds him why designing is so meaningful.

Words by: Sam Broekema

Minimalism can be the hardest design ethos to maintain; there’s nowhere to hide. Fortunately Jamaican born jewelry designer Matthew Harris of Mateo New York isn’t interested in hiding behind anything.  Every piece in his fine jewelry collection is intentionally crafted and serves a specific purpose in the wearer’s collection. This refined vision makes a new launch a real cause for celebration.  Here, in an Only Natural Diamonds exclusive, the designer reveals his inspiration and powerful backstory. 

Only Natural Diamonds: What does luxury mean to you?

Matthew Harris: It’s not always a material. I think luxury depends upon the individual.  For me, I’m so simple. I don’t need much [laughs]. Just a little diamond on an anklet and a diamond tennis necklace.  But I’m simple in [wearing] unexpected diamonds. Diamonds: you should just have them hanging off your feet because it’s about treating luxury as an everyday item. They shouldn’t be revered or just pulled out of a jewelry box once a year.

OND: What is your first memory of a diamond?

MH: I was probably eight years old. I got a diamond cross.  In my family, everyone gets a cross or a tennis bracelet. That’s my first memory of ever having a real piece of jewelry. I was very, very young. In Jamaica, we always say, always have good jewelry, so if something goes wrong, you can take it to the pawn shop. That was [in] my family’s DNA. We have always had jewelry for when something goes wrong [laughs]. It’s so good, I love it.

OND: You were recently in Botswana?

MH: Botswana was amazing. Amazing. It was my first time really going to Africa. I’d been to Morocco before, but it’s not the same. I felt as if I had gone to the Motherland. The moment you land there, you feel this being Black. It felt magical and mystical to me just to be there. And then to see how diamonds have transformed a country in its entirety was insane. You see how De Beers and Botswana as a country have a really beautiful partnership. The infrastructure is amazing. You see the cultural development; you see a beautiful airport. I mean, just incredible. It was mind-blowing.

The jewelry is from the source there. Going to see the mine was, again, mind-blowing, because I’ve been making jewelry for about 12 or 13 years now. And yes, we use a lot of diamonds, but to see it coming from the earth… It was priceless, this experience, to see the process. And to see them modernizing the whole process and making it sustainable was incredible. So I had a blast. And of course, why would you not bring looks?

I don’t take myself too seriously, honestly. That’s the beauty of what I do as well. Jewelry should be fun. The jewelry world should be fun.