What Is A Parure?

A parure in vintage jewelry simply means a matched set of pieces.  Parures are often known for their grand style, because before costume jewelry developed, matched sets of fine jewelry were only created for high society.  As costume jewelry became more popular in the 1930s & 40s, extravagant parures were seen in faux costume versions.  The glitziest parures tend to be from the 1950s & early 60s.  Parures also exist in more casual forms, like the thermoset parure at center above, and the floral bouquet set to the right.  While still matching, they are less showy than their after-five counterparts.

Demi-parures are simply a partial set - for example, matched jewelry that might include a necklace and earrings, but not a bracelet.