Jewelry Designer Olivier Reza on His First Brooch, Collecting Watches, and Driving a Porsche

A love for the finer things is in Olivier Reza’s blood. His family has been dealing in gemstones since the 18th century, but their surname wasn’t a brand until his father, Alexandre, stopped selling stones to important Parisian houses and in the ’60s. The Reza boutique, opened on the Place Vendôme in 1984, quickly became a destination for exceptional gems in a luxe Rococo setting. When Alexandre got sick in the late ’90s, Olivier was still on Wall Street, where he eventually climbed the ranks to become a partner at Lazard. The younger Reza grew increasingly involved in the family business as Alexandre’s illness progressed and took it over in 2020, moving operations to New York City. 

You can see the change of pace not only in location, but also in the house’s atelier on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Instead of the gilded flourishes in his father’s boutique, here you’ll find whimsical, modernist side tables by the Haas Brothers and Perlée espresso cups by L’Objet. The 51-year-old says he likes to mix items from different eras and see “how they talk to each other.” It’s a style reflected in his own home, where everything is equally considered, from the Venetian-plaster walls to a stingray-topped midcentury-modern coffee table. His exquisite perfectionism is veiled by a laid-back nonchalance that makes his impeccable taste look effortless. Here, he fills us in on how he curates the details. 

What have you done recently for the first time? 

My first brooch. The brooch is a great jewel because it is the closest to painting in the world. You don’t have to make it work with a finger, hand, or face. You just need to make it work with a piece of fabric or clothes…. I had in mind an artist that I like very much, Carol Bove. 

What apps do you use the most? 

X, for sure, and the auction houses— and . is very limited because they don’t have a lot of auctions. And in France did something really cool a few years ago; they aggregated every single auction house in Europe through their platform, so that’s a really good product. It’s dangerous because I can get lost in it for hours. 

Do you have any personal rituals? 

Like in As Good as It Gets, when he closes the door 50 times? I used to have something like that. I would come back to my house five times and think I left the gas on for a year or two, and then I figured out how to control it. 

What do you most crave at the end of the day? 

My dogs. They’re schnauzers. Their names are Tobias and Ben. 

What’s your favorite cocktail, and how do you make it? 

I’ve never been a liquor drinker. I like wine: Nuits Saint George de Lucien Lemoine from Burgundy, Château Figeac in Bordeaux, and Hermitage de Jean-Louis Chaves in the Rhône. 

What’s the most recent thing you’ve added to your collection? 

My [Streamliner]. I loved it when I saw it. It’s all in yellow gold with just one dial and an emerald on the side. It’s on the eight, because it was a special edition for Australia, which is GMT+8. But I’m so glad it’s not at six or 12. I’m glad it’s just completely off, because for me it’s very abstract. And to be honest, I think it’s the best watch design in a very, very, very long time. 

The most recent thing you regret not buying? 

A townhouse here [in New York City] in the ’70s. 

Who is your dealer, and what do they source for you? 

I don’t have a dealer. I find the stuff myself. I love that. For me, the fun is in the curation. I do that with my stones, for my clients. 

Where do you get your clothes? 

It has to do with the designer and the cut. I like a lot. I like their jackets. I think it’s a very homogeneous brand. It probably has one of the strongest, clearest DNAs out there. 

Are you wearing a watch? 

I never wear a watch more than a week or two at a time. I’m wearing a Vacheron Constantin. I love the bezel and the angles and the fact that it was really carefully designed with a very contrasting bracelet. 

When was the last time you completely unplugged? 

Shit, I don’t remember. It’s difficult when you have a business and people depend on you. 

What’s your favorite hotel? 

I love the in Tokyo. I like the in London. It’s very English with the wood and all that. I find it very nice. I love the in Phuket. 

Last piece of advice you gave? 

I told my sales team not to focus on transactions, to focus on the customer satisfaction. If your personal emotions get in the way—you needing to succeed or make a sale—it’s not going to work. 

What advice do you wish you’d followed? 

I regret that I didn’t get into sports and the habit of working out earlier in my life. In Paris, my gym teachers were always fat and they smoked. [Laughs] It wasn’t taken seriously in my generation. 

What is your email etiquette? 

I do know that with Europeans, you need to add some layers, because they are touchy, so you have to be more careful. I grew up on Wall Street, so in business it’s short. Sometimes, it’s too short. I am also careful [to recognize] that writing is not the best way to communicate. Communication is the biggest issue I face every day, especially with artistic people. 

What is the car you are most attached to? 

I have a Turbo S convertible in British racing green with a chocolate interior. 

What’s worth paying for? 

When you get into a big project—that implies putting together different competencies where the investments are pretty high and the end product is something that you’re going to live in, or is a major investment—I think that good advice is worth paying for…. Being cheap is completely foolish and a lot of people make that mistake. 

What sort of music makes you happy? 

I love electronic music. I always loved house, but what I love about electronic music today is when they start sampling multiple famous pieces from the ’70s, ’80s, or even ’90s into the same song. 

Credit: robbreport.com