An early nineteenth century riviere comprising a continuous line of gently graduated, light purple 'amethyst' pastes of cushion shape, set closed-backed and foiled in gilded cut-down collet settings with rounded backs, with matching push-box clasp, including matching clip-on earrings converted at a later date, length 14 inches, 42 grams, circa 1820. 

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.