Keys to the Door: Owners Lori and Matthew Trent.

New Jewels on the Block: Matthew Trent is living large — from the strand of sizeable pearls in his window to jumbo pictures of the jewelry guru at work. The big news here? A brand-new locale, in The Plaza at Preston Center. “We wanted to be in the middle of everything,” says Trent, of his new and renamed Matthew Trent Design Studio. After closing up his long-standing Maple Avenue shop and moving to this spot on the corner of Villanova Street (across from Sprinkles Cupcakes and next to Corner Bakery), Trent is showing off huge windows that reveal a modern, open concept and all the handcrafted treasures inside. Designed by architect Rick Carroll, the store boasts a large central display case and zebra-print chairs and stools perched on wall-to-wall zebra carpet (somebody call Auntie Mame!). But the real show is in Trent’s in-house atelier. Perfectly visible from behind large glass walls, patrons and passersby can watch Trent at work as he creates his one-of-a-kind pieces — sapphire and diamond rings, black Tahitian pearl necklaces, and all manner of engagement and wedding baubles. With the new location comes a bevy of planned new wares, too: pieces in rose gold, 22K gold and silver, at some rather pocketbook-friendly prices compared to Trent’s more luxurious offerings. Seems the move and the new digs have inspired all sorts of magic-making, indeed. 4015 Villanova St. (in The Plaza at Preston Center)214.871.9170; matthewtrent.com.

Images: Above, Matthew Trent Design Studio. Below, Matthew Trent. Photos by Heather Helen Ray.

Matthew Trent is living large — from the strand of sizeable pearls in his window to jumbo pictures of the jewelry guru at work.