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A pair of pansy earrings by American jewellery designer Joel Arthur Rosenthal will go under the hammer on Wednesday 31st July 2024 in Fellows Fine Jewellery auction.

Joel Arthur Rosenthal, or more commonly known as JAR, is the definition of creativity. His speciality is pairing unusual gemstones with non-traditional materials.

JAR graduated from Harvard in 1966 with an Art History degree before moving to Paris. He initially worked in film before opening a needlepoint shop in Paris. Here he had many clients including Hermès, Valentino, and Bulgari.

JAR now owns a jewellery store where he works with his partner Pierre Jeannet to create intricate jewellery. In 2013, he was the first living ‘artist of gems’ to be honoured with a retrospective at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The Gilbert Collection formerly held in Somerset House, staged the first public exhibition of JAR’s work. The three-month show provided admirers the rare opportunity to see over 400 of these unique pieces of jewellery. The collection included flowers, butterflies, animals, and abstract designs. 145 of JAR’s clients loaned jewels for the show. As a thank you JAR sent each person a pair of these pansy earrings in coloured aluminium.

Lot 439 features a pair of these gifted earrings. They have been entered into auction with an estimate of £2,000 to £3,000. Weighing 7.3 grams, these light and easy to wear earrings show off the designer’s love for flowers and nature. They are certainly worth their iconic status in the world of jewellery design.

Paul Greer International Head of Jewellery at Fellows said. “It’s great to have this pair of earrings in our Fine Jewellery auction from the legendary jeweller Joel Arthur Rosenthal (JAR) these floral earrings are becoming very collectable and look amazing when worn.”

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