Jewels by JAR at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jewels by JAR at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Hope you’ll bear with me as I do a 2nd fashion post this week.  But I just had to tell you that on November 20th, The Metropolitan Museum will open its first ever exhibition devoted to a contemporary, living jewelry designer. Known for being notoriously privately, the public will finally get to know New York Born, Paris based designer Joel Arthur Rosenthal, who works under the name JAR. New fans and collectors will get to enjoy a retrospective of more than 400 of the finest works by the acclaimed jewelry designer over the last 35 years.

From jewels in classical flower forms and organic shapes to witty objets d’art—all executed with the most exquisite gem stones, in an original combination of colors and set in variations of gold. Rosenthal’s one-of-a-kind creations place him among the ranks of history’s greatest jewelers.

From the Metropolitan Museum of Art:

Born in New York and educated at Harvard, Rosenthal moved to Paris soon after his graduation in 1966 and began to experiment with jewelry making. JAR opened in 1978 on the Place Vendôme—the same space he occupies today. Very early in his career, Rosenthal revealed his superb sense of color, whether in the hue of an exotic violet sapphire, the shimmer of topaz and ruby, or the simple clarity of a perfect diamond. His works quickly became known for their unique design, the quality of their stones, and their remarkable craftsmanship, but above all for their fearless beauty. He is known for his pavé technique—the setting of small stones so close together that they appear as a continuous surface of jewels—and uses subtle gradations of color to create a painterly effect.

When I attended the Met Gala in May, I saw someone wearing his earrings. They stopped me dead in my tracks. I had never in my life seen jewelry so beautiful.

He is known for his pavé technique—the setting of small stones so close together that they appear as a continuous surface of jewels—and uses subtle gradations of color to create a painterly effect.

JAR produces only 70 to 80 jewels each year, for an exclusive clientele. Rosenthal reportedly reserves the right to refuse to sell any item if he doesn’t think it would look good on the intended wearer. How amazing is that? The rarity and exclusivity of his pieces have allowed them to smash records at auctions. And that?

The show Jewels by JAR will be running from November 20, 2013 – March 9, 2014. If you happen to be in New York, be sure to visit the show.  In the meantime, visit Metmuseum.org for more information.