1930’s art deco stunning necklace. 16 inches long and adjustable.
An antique, collet-set amethyst rivière necklace is the famously favorite accessory of Anna Wintour, the legendary global editorial director of Vogue.
A "rivière" (French for "river") is designed to look like a continuous, unbroken stream of shimmering light encircling the neck. Here is what makes these antique pieces so distinct:
- Collet Setting: Each individual stone is nested in its own tightly fitted rim of metal (a collet) rather than being held by modern prongs.
- Graduated Scale: The gemstones are typically arranged symmetrically, with the largest stone resting perfectly at the center and the remaining gems subtly tapering in size toward the back clasp.
- Minimal Ornamentation: The links connecting the collets are kept as hidden and unobtrusive as possible, ensuring that the focus remains entirely on the natural beauty of the stones.
- Historical Backing Styles: Genuine Georgian-era (1714–1830) rivières usually feature closed-back settings lined with colored foil to enhance the gemstone's brilliance under candlelight. Later Victorian-era (1837–1901) iterations often feature open-backed settings to let natural daylight flood through the stones.