GENEVA.- Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction on 14 May in Geneva will be offering A Bouquet Of Gems: A Superb Collection Of Jewels By JAR, one of the largest and most important private collections of works by the visionary designer, Joel Arthur Rosenthal. Each of the 21 jewels were acquired for this private collector in the early 2000s and 2010s, with none having appeared on the market or at auction before. The 21 pieces have a combined low pre-sale estimate of US$ 3.0 million, and count amongst the most important JAR collections to come to market.

The Collection is led by the fabulous and sculptural Diamond ‘Apricot Blossom’ Bracelet (illustrated above, estimate US$340,000-570,000) which like so many of JAR’s designs is as much a work of art as it is a wearable jewel. This bracelet, along with the technicolour Multi-Gem Chain Necklace (estimate US$285,000-400,000) and ‘Semainier’ Bracelets which can be joined for wear as necklace (estimate US$140,000-200,000) were loaned to JAR’s seminal exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2013, where 400 pieces were shown. Remarkably, JAR is the only living jeweler to have been honored with such a comprehensive retrospective.

The wonderful colour combinations, often pavé-set in the JAR signature style, and the designs in this Collection are a tribute both to the innovative style of the designer and also to the elegance of the owner who amassed such a fine group of jewellery. Producing a mere 70 to 80 pieces each year, JAR's jewellery is highly exclusive and coveted by collectors. Each piece is unique, crafted for specific clients, adding to the allure and value of his designs. This rarity, combined with his unparalleled artistry, solidifies JAR's status as a leading figure in the world of fine jewellery.

JAR in the auction room at Christie’s

The first JAR jewel ever sold at auction, was a pair of ear pendants with amethysts, sapphires, natural pearls and diamonds. The pair was sold at Christie’s in New York in 1984, and since then Christie’s has sold approximately two thirds of all JAR pieces coming to market, including the piece which holds the record price for any JAR jewel sold at auction: a ruby and diamond ‘Camelia’ brooch, created in 2003 and sold for US$ 4,323,240, four times its low estimate in the charitable auction entitled: Jewels for Hope: The Collection of Mrs. Lily Safra, at Christie’s Geneva in 2012. In addition to this, Christie’s has sold the Top 10 JAR jewels at auction by value to date.

JAR Collections previously sold at Christie’s

28 lots­ - Refined Eye, Fabulous Jewels by JAR (Christie’s Geneva, 2023)

19 lots - Jewels by JAR: Property from an Important West Coast Collection (Christie’s NY, 2021)

18 lots - Jewels for Hope: Collection of Mrs. Lily Safra (Christie’s Geneva, 2012)

17 lots - Magnificent Jewels from the collection of Ellen Barkin (Christie’s NY, 2006)

12 lots - The Estate of Ann Getty (Christie’s NY, 2022)

07 lots - Elegant Jewellery from the Estate of Jacqueline Delubac (Christie’s, Geneva 1998)