Jewelry designer Joel Arthur Rosenthal’s exquisite creations for his brand JAR have earned him the title ‘the Fabergé of our time.’ Born in New York City in 1943, Rosenthal graduated in art history from Harvard in 1965 before moving to Paris. He initially worked in the film industry, and then opened a needlepoint shop, where his clients included Hermès and Valentino. His work with multicolored yarns would have a lasting effect on his jewelry designs. After working with Bulgari in New York, he returned to Paris and opened a shop in the Place Vendôme in 1977. His initials, JAR, were the only source of identification on the façade.
Rosenthal works with his partner Pierre Jeannet to create intricate jewelry, superbly crafted in unique settings. His work is meticulous and imaginative. He pairs unusual gemstones with non-traditional materials and has a daring way with color and proportion. The quality of his work recalls the jewelry of the 18th and 19th centuries. Only 70 to 80 jewels are created each year, for an exclusive clientele. In 2013, Rosenthal was the first living ‘artist of gems’ to be honored with a retrospective at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.
An oval box of carved chalcedony decorated with diamond and sapphire-set rock crystal butterflies created by JAR for Juan de Beistegui was sold at Christie's, Paris, 10 September 2018, lot 1.