Uma Therman's Stunning 19th Century Amethyst Rivière Necklace

In honor of Uma Therman's stunning 19th Century Amethyst Rivière necklace that sparkled on the red carpet of the 71st Annual Tony Awards on June 11th we decided to take a look at this timeless necklace style.

Wondering what a rivière is? The Rivière necklace received it's name from the French word for River, because the faceted gems of this necklace flow gracefully around the neck of the wearer.  Stones in a Rivière necklace are individually set and often graduating in size.  Rivière necklaces are typically shorter fitting necklaces ranging from 14-16 inches in length.  When the Rivière style was first developed in the Late 17th-Early 18th century the stones were set with closed backs, as the style became more popular this was adapted to open settings to allow more light and enhance the smoothly flowing, shining river effect.  Stones set in a Rivière necklace are the same shape and the same size (unless there is a slight graduation to the center of the necklace), and on some of the more ornate examples a pendant hangs in the center.

The rivière is a timeless setting that has been popular long after the Georgian period of its invention, and Uma Therman's outfit Sunday is a great example of how the Riviere's classic lines dazzle and enchant even as part of modern outfits.  We were inspired to capture images of some of our favorite Rivière necklaces from the Cynthia Findlay collection.

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