This Victorian Garnet Parure in Original Box sold at Aspire Auctions for $2,185.
The versatility of these sets allowed women to wear the smaller studs during the day for a more modest look and add the pear shaped drops for a more formal, evening look.
An antique parure still in its case is twice as valuable as a parure without one—the cases are often as opulent and elaborate as the jewelry they contained. It’s extremely rare to find a parure from the 18th century in good condition, while 19th-century sets are slightly more common.
This rare pressed blue glass cameo parure sold at Christie's for $15,687
A parure is a set of various items of matching jewelry, which rose to popularity in 17th century Europe. Beyond various items of matching jewelry, a parure is an entire wardrobe, or suite, of matching jewelry. Reserved for royalty and the wealthier classes, no woman was considered socially acceptable without a complete wardrobe of jewelry that defined her status, strength and political power. The parure was not static but modular and could be remade into more fashionable jewelry in order to stay au courant in the court and fashion-forward for the times. Members of court and higher social ranks vied for the best jewelers to create the most imaginative and elaborate collections that would astound one another and increase their status. Some necklaces could be worn intact or temporarily disassembled into bracelets, pendants, hair ornaments or brooches with smart interchangeable components and locking systems. From Old French, parure means adornment, from the verbparer, to adorn.
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