Description

It might not be jewelry per se, but I figured you guys might be as psyched about anything from JAR as I was! Alas, my skin chemistry doesn't work with it, as much as I wish it did ... so maybe on one of you?

Purchased from Bergdorf Goodman, this luxe perfume is basically unused (has been applied sparingly using a cotton swab less than five times). It is only available from Bergdorf's and Joel Arthur Rosenthal's Paris boutique at 14 rue de Castiglione. Rosenthal is one of the most influential jewelers of our age. His jewels have been auctioned by the likes of Sotheby's and Christies, and his exclusivity is legendary: gossip has it that his clients must be referred, and that even then, he is notoriously picky about who he will create for. His perfume line is as close as most can come to experiencing his craft.

This bottle of Diamond Water comes with the original high-end packaging, including the lilac suede JAR pouch, and is being listed for half of its original retail cost. Of the line, one of the better-know perfume reviewers, Luca Turin, said:

"JAR fragrances are uniquely shocking [....] Most normal perfumes are symphonic: the idea is to blend materials the way a composer blends sounds to achieve something which is more than the sum of its parts, with the parts no longer perceptible. But JAR's perfumes aren't normal. They were clearly composed by a guy who spends his days picking out rubies from a box and laying them one by one next to a huge pearl. Gemstones don't mix, God forbid, they just glow like mad. Same with his fragrances. Instead of the usual expert blend we get sensational raw materials juxtaposed and set, all in full view under the bright lights, for maximum effect."

This particular perfume, Diamond Water, is strong on carnation, with an ineffable hint of something else - jasmine? - and a beautiful, complex development.