The rose and the isolated rose petal are recurring subjects in the body of work of JAR, the Paris maison founded by Joel Arthur Rosenthal in 1977 at 7 Place Vendôme. JAR rose pieces include full-blossom roses, single rose petals as ear clips and brooches, and arrangements of petals as components of larger compositions, all rendered in the maison's signature pavé over blackened silver and gold mountings.

Rose Studies

JAR full-blossom roses are constructed in the same manner as the maison's other flower jewels, with a carved metal substrate supporting overlapping petal forms. Each petal is pavé-set with calibrated stones graded across hue and saturation so that the full blossom reads with the natural depth of colour from the open outer petals to the more saturated centre. The colour palettes recorded include deep red ruby and red spinel, pink sapphire of varying tonalities, violet sapphire, white and champagne diamond, and yellow combinations evoking tea-rose tonalities.

Rose Petals

Single rose-petal jewels are particularly characteristic of the JAR sensibility. The isolated petal, displayed as a brooch or as a pair of mirrored ear clips, foregrounds the petal's curved geometry and its tonal gradation. JAR rose-petal ear clips are typically mounted as pairs in which the two petals mirror one another, with a slight twist or drape introduced into the metal substrate so that the petal reads as if naturally curled. The pavé in these pieces gradates from deep saturation at the base of the petal to lighter values at the tip.

Construction Details

JAR rose and rose-petal pieces share the maison's characteristic blackened mounting, with no bright metal visible from the front. The substrate is silver over gold for structural support and patination, with the gold beneath providing strength while the silver carries the blackening that supports the colour reading of the pavé. The reverse is engraved with the JAR signature and serial number.

Auction and Exhibition Record

JAR rose-petal ear clips and rose brooches were included in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's 2013 retrospective Jewels by JAR, with several documented examples in pink sapphire and ruby pavé. Pieces have appeared regularly at Christie's and Sotheby's sales with strong results.