Blackened silver, 18k gold, sapphire, and diamond earrings by JAR, Paris.

I just realized, with moderate shock, that we have not yet discussed JAR. This will not do.

JAR stands for Joel Arthur Rosenthal. This New York-born jeweler is considered by many experts to be the finest jeweler working in the world today. His store has no window and no hours – and he reserves the right to refuse to sell pieces he doesn’t think are a good fit for the client.  (On his clientele list: Elle Macpherson, Barbara Walters, Ann Getty, Mary Pinault, Jo Carole Lauder, and, formerly, the late and great Elizabeth Taylor). You can imagine how valuable this makes his jewels at auction.

So that’s the mystique and here’s the more impressive part: the skill. Allow me to show you.

Aren’t they insane looking? They’re like two tiny, perfect beings made of jewels. Actually, I shouldn’t call these tiny in any way. They’re centered by two sugarloaf cabochon sapphires weighing approximately 18.29 and 17.21 carats. The sapphires are set within “sculptural surrounds” set with near colorless, gray, and black round diamonds. Even the back of the earrings are set with diamonds.The diamonds and sapphires are set in blackened silver and yellow gold.

I wasn’t sure if I liked them at first, but the longer I looked at them the longer I wanted to look at them, and I realized how much I liked looking at them. I wouldn’t ever call these earrings “pretty” but they’re very beautiful in an unusual way.

These earrings were sold in Sotheby’s December 2012 “Magnificent Jewels from the Collection of Mrs. Charles Wrightsman” sale. All images and info are thanks to Sotheby’s.