Magnificent 36.45 ct Diamond Rivière in Silver on Gold, c. 1890s

This exquisite necklace is a timeless jewellery classic from a bygone era: a rivière composed of 40 diamonds that encircle the neck like a flowing river of light. A total of 36.45 carats of old-cut diamonds radiate fire and brilliance. Each stone is set in finely crimped collet settings of silver on gold, masterfully crafted to nestle smoothly against one another in a perfectly graduated line. Even the clasp is seamlessly hidden beneath a diamond, ensuring the uninterrupted flow of brilliance. During the Belle Époque, sparkling diamond rivières were considered the pinnacle of fine jewellery – more precisely, the pinnacle of feminine adornment. Few ladies of the aristocracy or the wealthiest industrial families would have been without such a piece. Diamond rivières, like other exceptional jewels, were typically gifted to young women upon marriage. Alongside the natural pearl necklace and the tiara, the rivière ranked among the most precious wedding gifts, usually presented by the groom or the bride’s parents. The true value of this rivière reveals itself even on the reverse side: each diamond setting is individually hand-numbered and can be unscrewed. This allows the necklace to be adjusted in length or even worn as a bracelet. Additionally, five of the diamonds feature screw-back settings, likely designed to accommodate interchangeable pendants or to attach the diamonds to hairpins or brooch fittings. A strikingly similar rivière, attributed to the Viennese court jeweller Köchert and once owned by Maria Immaculata of Austria—also a wedding gift—was auctioned by Sotheby’s in 2023, see here. A period photograph shows the Archduchess almost certainly wearing that very rivière, adorned with five pendants in positions that match the screw settings on our necklace (see final image). The image offers insight into how these concealed fittings were used. We discovered this rivière in Vienna. While there is no further documentation of its provenance, the stylistic similarities make it likely that this piece also originated from Köchert’s workshop. The tested gold purity of 580/000 further suggests that the necklace was crafted in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. With its bold, fiery old-cut diamonds, this historical necklace is among the finest jewels of its era. An independent appraisal attesting to the quality of the materials accompanies the necklace, along with an antique case by court jeweller Foehr of Stuttgart.

Estimation:€198,900

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