JAR Yogo Sapphire, Diamond, Amethyst, Silver & White Gold Ear Pendants

In these ear pendants, JAR uses very rare Yogo sapphires, which come from the Yogo Gulch in Montana. First discovered in 1895, Yogo sapphires are prized for their clarity and even color, ranging from pastel to vibrant blue. The hues of Yogo sapphires are so beautiful right out of the mine, that their color is natural and unheated. Mined on a small scale and found in limited quantities, Yogo sapphires are very rare.

Bronx-born, Harvard graduate (1965) Joel Arthur Rosenthal (JAR) moved to Paris with his partner Pierre Jeannet and opened a small boutique where he created needlepoint art using unexpected colors. One day, a customer asked JAR if he could mount a gemstone; it was the request that launched his career as a jewelry designer. A self-taught jeweler, JAR is known for his bold use of color, often using a special blackened alloy that he developed to bring out the hues of the gemstones. He creates less than 100 pieces a year for a by-introduction-only clientele that has included actors Ellen Barkin and Gwyneth Paltrow as well as philanthropist Lily Safra.

JAR's jewelry showcases superb precision pavé work with stones being set as finely as “needlepoint stitches”. JAR’s work has been featured in three exhibitions: National Academy of Design, New York, 1987; Somerset House, London, 2002 and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, 2013. JAR’s exhibition at the Met was the first time the museum has held a retrospective for a living jewelry artist. Due to his limited production and strong demand from jewelry collectors, JAR jewels, such as these ear pendants, are highly sought after on the secondary market and command astonishing prices.