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Born in New York City, Joel Arthur Rosenthal graduated in art history from Harvard in 1966 and moved to Paris the following year. He first worked in the film industry and then opened a tiny needlepoint shop. His clientele included designers from Hermès and Valentino who one day asked him if he could design a mount for a gemstone. This request shifted his career into a completely new direction.
After working with Bulgari in New York he returned to Paris in 1977 and started designing pieces in the shop he opened on Place Vendôme under the name of JAR, his initials being the only identification. Only a select happy few can buy his one-of-a-kind pieces, while many other admirers are placed on a waiting list.
With his associate, Pierre Jeannet, they have created sublime and delicate pieces of jewellery, focused on unusual and innovative sculpted shapes and gemstones. Never more than 70 to 80 pieces come out of the workshop every year, which highlights the time and attention Rosenthal gives to each jewel at every step of its creation.