Jake Matluck is the designer and jeweler behind his eponymous line, Jake Matluck. Jake began honing his skills in 2016 during an undergraduate course learning the basics of jewelry construction. Following a break from jewelry he returned to the craft in 2022 where he enrolled in courses at Jewelry Arts Inc. There, Jake refined his techniques and learned ancient goldsmithing methods, incorporating them into his signature 22-karat alloy.

In 2023, he turned his love of jewelry into a line inspired by ancient goldsmithing techniques varying in origin from Greek, Etruscan, Roman, Celtic, Cypriot, and Indonesian cultures spanning from 900 to 200 BCE. His work aims to re-introduce truly handmade jewelry into a market increasingly dominated by machines and automated processes, which remove the very essence of a jeweler from the finished piece

Jake’s work focuses on materiality, with each piece constructed from the aforementioned high karat alloy and featuring natural gemstones with exceptional origins and vibrancy, as well as antique mine cut diamonds from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Each piece is made to order with a small selection of items available to view or purchase at John Derian in New York City, and through his website Jakematluck.com. Custom pieces are also available through a one on one consultation with Jake in his studio, on Zoom, or via email.

Gold leaf

Minoan

ca. 2300–2100 BCE

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 151

Pendant in the form of a leaf.

Minoan goldsmiths used sophisticated techniques to create elaborate jewelry, headdresses, and ornaments for hair and clothing, often in the form of naturalistic motifs such as plants, flowers, and marine life. The objects in the collection represent different gold-working methods. Many of the ornaments were cut from gold hammered into thin sheets, some decorated with patterns raised in relief from the back. Gold was also melted and poured into molds. Imported primarily from Egypt, gold was extremely rare. Only the very wealthy could afford such adornments.

Gold Neck Ring

Celtic

6th–4th century BCE

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 301

This elegant and technically accomplished solid gold torque, which weighs more than a pound, is a superb example of the mastery of goldsmiths in Iron Age Europe. Such an imposing object would have been an emblem of status and power. Its excellent condition suggests that it might have served as a ritual offering or been placed in a tomb to accompany the dead into the afterlife. It may also simply have been deluxe jewelry. In about 50 B.C. the Roman historian Diodorus Siculus wrote that Celts in Gaul “gather gold that is used for ornaments not only for women but men as well, for they wear bracelets on their arms and wrists and also massive solid-gold collars around their necks.” The torque may have been made from a cast gold blank that was deeply incised or channeled along its length on four sides, evenly notched along some of the edges, and then twisted. Or it may have been constructed of four graduated square lengths of gold that were evenly notched and then twisted. Such techniques employing single or multiple strands of gold were used in several cultures in the first millennium B.C., but they were most widespread among the Celts, who populated much of western Europe.

Gold earring with rock crystal bead

Roman

1st–2nd century CE

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 166

Earring of the loop-type with hook-and-eye fastening and rock crystal bead.

Bronze mirror

Etruscan

ca. 350 BCE

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 170

Aphrodite and Eros fishing

This scene of Eros assisting the fishing Aphrodite may be derived from similar representations on red-figure Greek pottery. Its significance is unknown.

Gold necklace with emerald and variscite beads

Roman

3rd century CE

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 166

24 green beads: 1 emerald and 23 variscite.

Gold crescent-shaped earring

Cypriot

5th century BCE–1st century CE

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 171

Although this type of earring was made in Cyprus over a long period of time, most examples are probably Roman.

Bronze serpentine-type fibula (safety pin)

Etruscan

8th century BCE

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 171

Two spirals, both of one turn. The bow has a series of moulded beads.

Bronze kyathos (ladle)

Etruscan

450–400 BCE

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 170

Small bronze and terracotta vessels of this Sant'Anatolia type are common in Etruscan tombs from about 450 to about 250 B.C. Often deposited in groups of three to seven of slightly different sizes, they were likely used to ladle wine from larger vessels or perhaps to measure water when mixing it with wine. Falerii (Civita Castellana) has been suggested as the location for the workshop that produced these kyathoi as well as the beaked jugs in this case.

Gold annular earring

Cypriot

ca. 1600–1050 BCE

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 171

Earring of simple form.