A Rea Gem

Jewelry star Matthew Harris fashions a pearl of a pied-à-terre in the center of Lisbon.

- By Tanya Dukes

When he was growing up in Jamaica, Matthew Harris can recall his excitement at visiting New York City on a trip. Passing through John F. Kennedy International Airport, he was dazzled by an artwork hanging overhead: Alexander Calder's mobile sculpture Flight, with its 45-foot span. He remembers being fascinated by the work, which looked to him like a giant earring.

Years later, Harris moved to New York and became a jewelry designer. Soon after he founded his brand, Mateo, in 2009, Rihanna was spotted wearing one of his silver zipper necklaces. A line of chandelier earrings inspired by Calder followed, and Mateo quickly gained a cult following with clients including Zendaya and Oprah.