Why Joel Arthur Rosenthal is considered a living legend of jewelry art

It just so happens that geniuses have the right to be weird. Jeweler Joel Arthur Rosenthal is not deprived of them either — a man who became a legend during his lifetime. The self-taught master, whose creations are sold for millions of dollars, lives the inconspicuous life of a simple Parisian. He could own jewelry factories, but the products of his brand J.A.R. are born in a modest shop-workshop on the Place Vendome in Paris. An outstanding jeweler avoids journalists, decides for himself who to sell his masterpieces to, and in general, very few people have seen his face. Who is Joel Rosenthal and why is he considered a genius?

Joel Arthur was born and raised in In New York, in the Bronx, in a poor and unremarkable Jewish family. His father was a postal worker, and his mother taught biology at school. Joel was the only child in the family who was loved and sought to bring out into the people. At the same time, the parents did not put pressure on the boy. Now Rosenthal remembers that he was only forced to learn English and instructed to always finish what he started.

The future master of jewelry as a child dreamed of becoming a painter. The boy had an undoubted natural gift and he consistently developed it. Joel spent days in New York museums, studying the works of classics and contemporaries. But one day he discovered the Museum of Natural History. More precisely, it was completely absorbed by the department of metals and minerals. Rosenthal spent hours looking at the crystals, marveling at their diversity and beauty.

It was then that a passion was born in the boy, which eventually made him one of the most outstanding jewelers of our time. But after school, Rosenthal did not associate himself with either geology or jewelry. He went to Harvard, where he studied philosophy and art history. The student years gave Joel a lot. By the time he received his diploma, he was fluent in French and Italian, and was well versed in Renaissance painting and sculpture.

Ahead of the Rosenthal had a career as an art historian, but he chose a different path. Joel Arthur, as before, dreamed of the beauty of stones and metals. He began to master the jewelry business without having the slightest idea about it. Self-study took a lot of time and required investments. Therefore , the man returned to Paris and got a job. He tried on many professions ranging from a screenwriter to a needle maker. All his free time and all the money he earned were invested in his jewelry passion.

In 1978, Rosenthal goes all-in. Not having enough experience, he invested all his savings in a small jewelry store on Vendome Square. Since then, the address of his business has not changed — the store, workshop and part-time office of the J.A.R. company is still there. Joel Arthur's friend Pierre Janet became a reliable assistant and business partner. Together they began to create jewelry, which quickly found their admirers.

Rosenthal's company produced various products, but the master paid the main attention to exclusive jewelry. The first author's series of three rings was brought to perfection by a jeweler for 10 years! It was they who attracted the attention of the editor of Vogue magazine, and made the master world famous.

With the publication of pictures of rings in fashionable gloss, Rosenthal's triumphant path began. He was bombarded with orders and entrusted with the most difficult work. And the jeweler did not fail. In 1981, he was approached by socialite Lily Safra. Her husband bought a rare pear-shaped diamond at auction. The diva wanted to order a brooch with him, but because of the price of the stone and its non-standard shape, the best masters of France refused to work with him.

Rosenthal took up the production of a brooch. So there was an amazing piece of jewelry art in the form of a poppy. The master supplemented the diamond with tourmalines, which created a beautiful composition with it. Needless to say, Lily Safra has become a regular customer of the store on Vendome Square. It is she who owns the largest collection of the master's creations, including ornaments in the form of a wolf in sheep's clothing, butterflies and flowers.

Many people take Joel Arthur Rosenthal's works for old ones. This is because the master uses blackened silver and gold alloys, as well as valuable wood species. In addition, he uses ancient methods of cutting, which he hardly uses these days. Rosenthal's favorite motifs are butterflies and flowers. Jewelry from J.A.R. is very bright. The author boldly experiments with colors using amethysts, sapphires, tanzanites and colored diamonds. The company produces no more than 100 products per year.

Rosenthal is a harsh and quarrelsome man. He doesn't get along too well with clients, but everyone forgives him. Fans of his talent have become members of European royal families, billionaires and actors. Among the stars of the first magnitude ordering jewelry from J.A.R., it is worth mentioning Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna. The price of J.A.R. products is appropriate. To date, 14 jewelry are known, the cost of which is calculated at auctions in figures with six zeros.