An early nineteenth century paste parure, comprising a riviere, a brooch, and a pair of earrings, each set with vibrant, oval pink pastes, open-backed with each link ensconced by small gilded florets intermingled with 'turqouise' paste, necklace length 17 inches, earrings with 2 inch drop and later earhooks, 60 grams, circa 1830. 

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.