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THE CLEOPATRA COLLECTION
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Meet Matthew Infused with inspiration from countries worldwide and his background in sculpture, jewelry and architecture, American designer Matthew Campbell Laurenza blends experiences and cultures to produce unique and distinctive jewelry designs. Born in Colorado, Matthew lived in New Mexico and Texas as a child before moving to Kentucky where he finished high school. He began his studies at Savannah College of Art and Design pursuing a degree in architecture and interior design. Realizing that architecture had creative limits, Matthew transferred to Bellarmine College and adjusted his focus to pursue a degree in Fine Arts with a speciality in sculpture. Although no longer pursuing architecture, he applied the concepts of design and construction to his sculpture projects and began to construct breathtaking jewelry designs. Every piece of jewelry is art. The carving of the wax, the placement of stones, the use of color and texture, the profile—all of these elements combine to create a miniature sculpture to be worn and become a part of someone’s daily life. As a part-time expat for the last 17 years, Matthew splits his time between Asia, the United States and the multitude of countries he visits. His non-stop travel schedule means that he is frequently in as many as five or six countries within a single month. As Matthew travels, he makes time to see the sights, experience the local culture, and visit the museums—all of which serve as a starting point for his designs. The old adage that ‘history repeats itself’ draws Matthew to historical design periods. The art deco, renaissance, modernism, arts and crafts and other movements hold special appeal. Artists are a product of their environment. We are sensitive to what has come before us, and acutely attuned to what is happening around us. My travels have informed and shaped everything I do and in return, I bring a new point of view and an invigorated energy to the design process. Matthew uses these strong influences and blends them with modern and refreshing nuances to develop opulent designs. Matthew Campbell Laurenza’s women’s collection launched at Bergdorf Goodman in 2007 and was introduced shortly thereafter at Neiman Marcus, Harrods, Lane Crawford in Hong Kong, and other high-end luxury retailers. Today, the brand is in 36 markets and sold through more than 100 retailers worldwide including cosmopolitan centres such as London, Hong Kong, Dubai, New York, Los Angeles, Singapore, Paris, Tokyo, and Moscow.
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M.C.L Craftsmanship M.C.L by Matthew Campbell Laurenza embodies Matthew’s belief in superb craftsmanship. Each piece stands as a work of art and is crafted in its own unique way. Our jewelry is all hand made—from the designs to the wax carving, construction, gem-setting, polishing... absolutely everything from concept to customer. With a 6-8 month design period for each style, quality control is critical at every stage to preserve the distinctive M.C.L signature aesthetic. Our natural stones are sourced from around the world—rough stones are chosen by certified staff and cut by the finest stonecutters to ensure optimum clarity and beauty. The difference in origin of the stones gives each design a particular surface texture, color gradient and unique identity. As Matthew explains: Different regions produce different colors in even the same kind of stones. For instance, the amethysts we see in Brazil take on a deep violet hue where as those sourced from Africa have a paler color to them. Our jewelry is sculpted entirely from 925 sterling silver then plated in black rhodium, which is both durable and comfortable for those with allergic reactions to the precious metal. Certain pieces are plated in 18k gold vermeil. These traditions will always be a cornerstone of M.C.L craftsmanship. Recently we expanded our range of wearable sculpture to include pieces that are carved from sustainably sourced materials, including horn and wood. Each and every piece of M.C.L jewelry is hand made and individually hand set with only the finest sapphires, rubies and semi-precious gems. We strictly forbid the use of adhesive products to set stones. The refined technique of hand-setting not only provides for the secure setting of our gemstones, it results in better texture and a greater sparkle to our finished pieces. The method also ensures that no two pieces are exactly alike. The differences are subtle, but when viewed with a keen eye you will see that these subtle differences reflect the unique character of each individual item and the considerable care taken during production.
Our Signature Style We create wearable sculpture, ornate pieces that exude a bohemian-luxe spirit. Our signature aesthetic distilled into a single word: vibrant. M.C.L jewelry makes daily accessorizing a bright and powerful part of a woman’s style. We believe that every piece of M.C.L jewelry makes a statement. They are designed to be noticed. And our signature can be found in the choice of vivid enamel coloring, the radiance of our genuine sapphires, the creamy luster of a freshwater pearl or the earthy elegance of semi-precious gemstones, all of which are ethically sourced from around the world.
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The Cleopatra Collection Certain places immediately conjure images in the mind. Think of Egypt, for instance, and you cannot help but see the Pyramids, the Sphinx, scarabs, the Nile, Pharaohs. Egypt is synonymous with ancient majesty, power, opulence, and its timeless aesthetic, which was imbued in every aspect of existence. Only a few individuals conjure images in the same way. Cleopatra is one of them. Perhaps the best known of Egypt’s ancient rulers, most accounts portray her as savvy, influential and irresistibly charming. She is much more than that, of course. She is a legend: the proud queen of a civilization in decline, master politician, fashion icon, fluent in several languages, educated in mathematics, philosophy, oratory and astronomy... She was also a romantic at heart. Intriguingly, the endurance of her legend is the most significant thing we can verify about her. We know much, yet Cleopatra is surrounded by mysteries. I believe they are a large part of why her legend endures. The tantalizing mixture of facts and mysteries allow us to imagine her as we wish to, not as history books tells us to. Did she really melt a priceless pearl in vinegar just to win a bet? Or smuggle herself into Caesar’s quarters wrapped in a carpet? Does the truth matter? Some say she didn’t even die from an asp bite, that this was just a Shakespearean metaphor. Perhaps the truth never really mattered... It’s no surprise that I see her jewelry as a significant aspect of that legend. Cleopatra’s love of jewelry is one of the few facts about her that we know to be true. She understood how it could be used to command attention, the way it could transcend language and convey her strength before any words were spoken. Even the ladies of Roman high-society were transfixed by her. Many of them adopted the queen’s exotic hairstyles and opulent jewelry. This collection of bold and distinctive wearable sculpture is inspired by her, the one and only Queen of the Nile. It pays homage to her remarkable defiance of expectations, to the countless ways that she challenged the status quo, and to the enduring power of her mystery.
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PG. 9
11. MRG000113-72-MIX-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium, hand-set with multi-colored sapphires accented by midday blue enamel
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PG. 10
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12. MRG000113-17-YL-C l 925 sterling silver plated with gold, handset with yellow sapphires accented by french blue enamel
13. MRG000113-RK72-YL-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black
rhodium, hand-set with yellow sapphires accented by glittering blue enamel
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Royal Scarab Cuff: 1. MBG000633-74-01-23-YL-BT-C l 925 sterling silver plated
with gold, hand-set with yellow sapphire and blue topaz accented by red, black and ivory enamel
14. MRG000113-74-RED-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium, hand-set with red sapphires accented by black enamel
15. MRG000113-52-RED-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black
rhodium, hand-set with red sapphires accented by yellow mango enamel
2. MBG000633-72-01-RK01-MIX-BT-B l 925 sterling silver
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plated with black rhodium, hand-set with multi-colored sapphires and blue topaz accented by red, blue and glittering gold enamel
3. MBG000633-67-RK2-RK74-BKS-AM-B l 925 sterling silver
plated with black rhodium, hand-set with black spinel and amethyst accented by bright white, glittering silver and glittering black enamel
PG. 13
5. MBG000633-17-74-23-YL-BT-C l 925 sterling silver plated with gold vermeil, hand-set with yellow sapphires and black spinel accented by black, ivory and blue enamel 6. MBG000633-01-RK69-23-MIX-BT-B l 925 sterling silver
plated with black rhodium, hand-set with multi-colored sapphires and blue topaz accented by red, ivory and glittering orange enamel
PG. 14
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4. MBG000633-72-RK72-RK2-BKS-AM-B l 925 sterling silver
plated with black rhodium, hand-set with black spinel and amethyst accented by blue, glittering blue and glittering silver enamel
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Ramses Chariot Bangle: 1. MBG000644-74-MIX-A l 925 sterling silver plated with white
rhodium, hand-set with mixed sapphires accented by black enamel
2. MBG000644-RK51-RED-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium, hand-set with red sapphires accented by glittering red enamel
3. MBG000644-72-MIX-A l 925 sterling silver plated with white
7. MBG000633-RK51-RK18-23-BKS-AM-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium, hand-set with black spinel and amethyst, accented by ivory, glittering red and purple enamel
rhodium, hand-set with multi-colored sapphires accented by blue enamel
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rhodium, hand-set with multi-colored sapphires accented by glittering blue enamel
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PG. 11
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5. MBG000644-74-YL-C l 925 sterling silver plated with gold, hand-
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4. MBG000644-RK72-MIX-A l 925 sterling silver plated with white
PG. 12
set with yellow sapphires accented by black enamel 1
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Flower Pot Rings: 1. MRG000157-17-YL-AM-C l 925 sterling silver plated with gold,
PG. 15
hand-set with yellow sapphires and amethyst accented by french blue enamel
2. MRG000157-RK72-BKS-BT-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium, hand-set with black spinel and blue topaz accented by glittering blue enamel 3. MRG000157-52-RED-BT-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium, hand-set with red sapphires and blue topaz accented by mango yellow enamel
4. MRG000157-RK18-RY-AM-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium, hand-set with rubies and amethyst, accented by glittering purple enamel
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Cleopatra Cuff: 1. MBG000656-YL-BKS-CB l 925 sterling silver plated with black
rhodium and gold, hand-set with yellow sapphires and black spinel
2. MBG000656-WT-BKS-AB l 925 sterling silver plated with black and white rhodium, hand-set with white topaz and black spinel
3. MBG000656-RED-YL-BC l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium and gold, hand-set with red sapphires and yellow sapphires.
5. MRG000157-74-YL-AM-C l 925 sterling silver plated with gold, hand-set with yellow sapphires and amethyst accented by black enamel 6. MRG000157-72-RED-BT-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium, hand-set with red sapphires and blue topaz accented by midday blue enamel
Great Pyramid Cuffs: 7. MBG000632-74-MIX-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black
rhodium, hand-set with multi-colored sapphires accented by black enamel
8. MBG000632-74-YL-C l 925 sterling silver plated with gold, hand-set with yellow sapphires accented by black enamel
9. MBG000632-RK72-BKS-B l 925 sterling silver plated with
black rhodium, hand-set with black spinel accented by glittering blue enamel
Sirius Rings: 10. MRG000113-RK01-BKS-B l 925 sterling silver plated with
black rhodium, hand-set with black spinel accented by glittering gold enamel
PG. 16
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PG. 17
PG. 18
Pharaoh and Cobra Cuff: 1. MBG000636-RK02-RK01-YL-ONY-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium, hand-set with yellow sapphires and onyx, accented by glittering gold and silver enamel
2. MBG000636-74-RK72-WT-ONY-A l 925 sterling silver plated with white rhodium, hand-set with white topaz and onyx, accented by glittering blue enamel and black enamel
3. MBG000636-74-RK74-YL-ONY-B l 925 sterling silver plated
with black rhodium, hand-set with yellow sapphires and onyx, accented by glittering black and jet black enamel
4. MBG000636-67-74-WT-ONY-A l 925 sterling silver plated with white rhodium, hand-set with white topaz and onyx, accented by jet black and bright white enamel
5. MBG000636-52-23-RED-AM-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium, hand-set with red sapphires and amethyst, accented by ivory and yellow mango enamel
6. MBG000636-74-72-WT-ONY-A l 925 sterling silver plated with silver, hand-set with white topaz and onyx, accented by midday blue and black enamel 1 2
PG. 19
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PG. 20
2. MRG000270-RK51-RED-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium, hand-set with red sapphires accented by glittering red enamel
3. MRG000270-74-BKS-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium, hand-set with black spinel accented by black enamel
Papyrus Beetle Cuff: 4. MBG000653-72-BKS-BC l 925 sterling silver plated with
black rhodium and gold, hand-set with black spinel accented by blue enamel
5. MBG000653-72-WT-AB l 925 sterling silver plated with black and white rhodium, hand-set with white topaz accented by blue enamel
6. MBG000653-RK72-RED-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium, hand-set with red sapphires accented by glittering blue enamel
Mini-Pyramid Rings: 7. MRG000176-RK51-MIX-B l 925 sterling silver plated with
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Water Lily Rings: 1. MRG000343-RK01-MIX-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium, hand-set with multi-colored sapphires accented by glittering gold enamel
2. MRG000343-52-YL-C l 925 sterling silver plated with gold, handset with yellow sapphires accented by yellow mango enamel
black rhodium, hand-set with multi-colored sapphires accented by glittering red enamel
8. MRG000176-RK51-RED-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium, hand-set with red sapphires accented by glittering red enamel 9. MRG000176-RK01-YL-C l 925 sterling silver plated with gold, hand-set with yellow sapphires accented by glittering gold enamel
3. MRG000343-RK02-BKS-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black
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rhodium, hand-set with black spinel accented by glittering silver enamel
Hathor Cuff: 4. MBG000654-72-YL-BT-C l 925 sterling silver plated with gold,
hand-set with yellow sapphires and blue topaz accented by midday blue enamel
black rhodium, hand-set with yellow sapphires and blue topaz accented by glittering blue enamel
PG. 21
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PG. 22
Isis Cuff: 1. MBG000641-74-YL-BT-C l 925 sterling silver plated with gold, hand-set with yellow sapphires and blue topaz accented by black enamel
2. MBG000641-72-RED-BT-A l 925 sterling silver plated with white
rhodium, hand-set with red sapphires and blue topaz accented by blue enamel
3. MBG000641-RK72-BKS-AM-B l 925 sterling silver plated with
black rhodium, hand-set with black spinel and amethyst, accented by glittering blue enamel
4. MBG000641-RK51-BKS-AM-B l 925 sterling silver plated with
black rhodium, hand-set with black spinel and amethyst accented by glittering red enamel
5. MBG000641-72-YL-BT-C l 925 sterling silver plated with gold, hand-set with yellow sapphires and blue topaz accented by blue enamel
PG. 23
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Step Pyramid Rings: 1. MRG000344-RK02-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black
rhodium accented by glittering silver enamel
3. MRG000344-RK01-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium accented by glittering gold enamel
4. MRG000344-52-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium accented by yellow mango enamel hand-set with yellow sapphires accented by glittering blue enamel
6. MRG000338-72-YL-C l 925 sterling silver plated with gold, hand-set with yellow sapphires accented by black enamel
7. MRG000338-72-RED-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium, hand-set with red sapphires accented by black enamel
8. MRG000338-74-RED-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium, hand-set with red sapphires accented by black enamel
Water Lily Necklaces: 9. MNC000856-RK01-WT-ONY-A l 925 sterling silver plated
with white rhodium, hand-set with white topaz and onyx, accented by glittering gold enamel
10. MNC000856-74-WT-ONY-A l 925 sterling silver plated with white rhodium, hand-set with white topaz and onyx accented by black enamel
11. MNC000856-72-MIX-BT-B l 925 sterling silver plated with black rhodium, hand-set with multi-colored sapphires and blue topaz, accented by blue enamel 12. MNC000856-RK51-MIX-BT-B l 925 sterling silver plated
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Deshret Rings: 5. MRG000338-RK72-YL-C l 925 sterling silver plated with gold,
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accented by jet black enamel
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2. MRG000344-74-C l 925 sterling silver plated with gold
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PG. 25
5. MBG000654-RK72-WT-BT-A l 925 sterling silver plated with white rhodium, hand-set with white and blue topaz, accented by glittering blue enamel
6. MBG000654-RK72-YL-BT-B l 925 sterling silver plated with
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PG. 24
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Square Two-Faced Rings: 1. MRG000270-RK48-YL-C l 925 sterling silver plated with gold, hand-set with yellow sapphires accented by glittering orange enamel
with black rhodium, hand-set with multi-colored sapphires and blue topaz, accented by glittering red enamel
Cover: Coffin of Ameny Period, Middle Kingdom, 1981–
PG. 12 : Street Market in Egypt: Old Market, Sharm
1802 B.C. Source: Metropolitan Museum, New York Rogers Fund, 1911.
el-Sheikh. Photo: Kostenyukova Nataliya.
PG. 13:
Study for Cleopatra Testing Poisons on Condemned Prisoners, Alexandre Cabanel, 1887.
PG. 1-2 : Cleopatra - Wilhelm Kotarbiński, unknown date.
PG. 7-8: Sunrise Over A Pyramid: Cairo, Egypt. Photo: posztos.
PG. 16: Relief on the Wall of Queen Hatshepsut Temple in Egypt. Photo: Patryk Kosmider.
PG. 9: Cleopatra On The Terraces Of Philae - Frederic
PG. 18 : Pharaoh Sculpture. Photo: Jose Lledo.
Arthur Bridgman, 1896.
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PG. 20: Ancient Bas Reliefs: Luxor, Egypt.
Kokhanchikov.
PG. 21: Cleopatra and Caesar 1866.
PG. 27-28: The Meeting of Antony and Cleopatra - Sir
Photo:
Lawrence Alma-Tadem, 1882.
- Jean-Léon Gérôme,
PG. 33-34: The Milky Way Rising Over The Pyramids of Giza. Photo: Marcel Clemens.
PG. 24: Split Shot of the Bright Coral Reef in Ras
Back Cover: Les Monuments d’Égypte Manufactory Oberkampf Manufactory. Designer: Jean-Baptiste Huet I - French, 1745–1811.
Muhammad National Park, Red Sea, Egypt. Photo:
Dudarev Mikhail.
PG. 25: Cleopatra, Michaelangelo Buonarroti, 1535.
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About Our Jewelry We create wearable sculpture, ornate pieces that exude a bohemian-luxe spirit. Our unique and versatile styling blends classic influences with contemporary design. Every piece of M.C.L jewelry makes a statement. They are designed to be noticed and our team go to great lengths to ensure our statement is of the highest quality. M.C.L jewelry is all handmade, meticulously crafted in sterling silver and plated in durable rhodium or 18k gold vermeil. Other pieces are sculpted from sustainably sourced materials, including horn and wood. The one thing all of our jewelry shares is vibrancy. It’s the M.C.L signature, making daily accessorizing a powerful part of every woman’s style. That signature can be found in our choice of vivid enamel coloring, the radiance of our genuine sapphires, the creamy luster of a freshwater pearl or the earthy elegance of semiprecious gemstones, all of which are ethically sourced from around the world.
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MCL Design
@mcldesign
@mclaurenza
MCL Design