Joel A. Rosenthal is an American-born jeweller based in Paris. For the past twenty years, he has created many inspirational jewels and the present earclips summarise his numerous talents. The use of top quality conch pearls together with rose quartz and white agate is typical of his style, one that sets him apart from all other contemporary designers.

Conch pearls seldom appear in modern jewellery. Their delicate pink colour and novelty made them perfect additions to the creations of the Belle Epoque (1895-1914) and Art Nouveau (1895-1910) periods. They are produced by the giant conch (Strombus gigas) which is predominantly found off the coast of Florida and in the West Indies, the Bahamas in particular. Their production is quite rare. Per thousand shells, only a few seed conch pearls will be found and frequently there will be none. They are coveted by gem connoisseurs as they generate these lovely pearls and also provide shells used in the production of cameos. The pearls, unlike those with a silky luster born of the bivalve Pinctadae oysters, are porcelain-like in appearance and have markings that resemble flames. This zig-zagged characteristic is what allows one to differentiate them from the sometimes remarkably similar coral. The incorporation of two such fine examples into these earclips represents a creative homage to the jewellers of the past as well as modern day exposure to these rare and beautiful gems.