Jordan Banach algebras satisfying \(\|x\|\|x^{-1}\| =1\) (Q1270402)

A result by \textit{B. Aupetit} [``Propriétés spectrales des algèbres de Banach'', Lect. Notes Math. 735 (1979; Zbl 0409.46054)] asserts that the reals, complexes, and quaternions are the unique normed associative real algebras with a unit satisfying \(\|x\|\|x^{-1}\|= 1\) for every \(x\) in some non-empty open subset of invertible elements. In the paper under review, the authors extend this result by proving that every normed Jordan-admissible real algebra with a unit which satisfies the property above is isometrically isomorphic to the normed flexible quadratic real algebra defined by a real pre-Hilbert space. Moreover, they provide an interesting new proof of Aupetit's theorem. Essentially, the theorem proved by the authors asserts that the class of the normed Jordan-admissible real algebra with a unit satisfying \(\|x\|\|x^{-1}\|=1\) for every \(x\) in some non-empty open subset of invertible elements coincides with the class of the norm-unital normed nonassociative real algebras whose normed space is smooth at the unit [see the paper by \textit{A. Rodríguez Palacios}, Proc. Lond. Math. Soc., III. Ser. 47, 258-274 (1983; Zbl 0521.47036) for a precise description of these last algebras].