A nineteenth century floral paste riviere, crafted in silver with open work paste links with foliage motif set with small, circular pastes, integrated box clasp, length 15 in.

The most timeless georgian necklace is the riviere, as popular today as it was 300 years ago. Riviere, meaning 'river of light,' was named for the famed lights of the Cote d'Azur, as the diamond riviere resembled the twinkling lights of the coastal towns. Rivieres were made of graduated collet-set matched stones connected as unobtrusively as possible into a continuous line. Silver set diamond rivieres achieved popularity around 1750, but were soon backed in gold to prevent tarnishing. Rivieres of paste or colored stones were often set in gold in closed back settings with colored foil. They frequently included a detachable pendant drop, often in the shape of a cross. With increasing quality of gemstones and diamonds in the nineteenth century, stones were prevalently set 'a jour' or open backed.