Lovers of beautiful gems in London are in for an especially rare treat when an exhibition of the work of reclusive jewellery designer Joel Arthur Rosenthal goes on show at Somerset House next month.
The pieces, which have never been seen on public display before, are the property of Rosenthal’s clients – all of whom will remain anonymous – and have been loaned to celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary. They will be showcased in near darkness with visitors being given torches in order to see their way around the exhibit, in a room perfumed by the designer’s own fragrances.
Clients who have been tempted by the super-exclusive designs – only 250 women are believed to own his jewellery – are understood to include Madonna, Elle Macpherson and Elizabeth Taylor. Just 70 or 80 pieces are produced annually, with some creations taking years to perfect. So exclusive is Joel Arthur Rosenthal’s Place Vendome store in Paris that even Gwyneth Paltrow needed an introduction to get in – Steven Spielberg’s wife Kate Capshaw obliged. And securing entry does not necessarily guarantee customers will be permitted to make a purchase.
A measure of how rare an opportunity the exhibition represents is given by the fact that the only other public display of Rosenthal’s work – in New York – was held 15 years ago and lasted a mere three hours. “This is the only window which will ever be opened onto the utterly private world of a jeweller whose unidentified but illustrious clients form an exclusive international club,” says Francois Curiel, the chairman of Christie’s Europe which is sponsoring the exhibition.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
