So What Actually Counts as a Parure?

A full parure is traditionally at least three matching pieces-usually a necklace, bracelet, and earrings, sometimes with a brooch thrown in for good measure. If it's only two matching pieces, it's technically a demi-parure, which is French for “halfway to fancy.”

Parures were meant to be the height of elegance-reserved for royalty, high society, and anyone who took "matching" way too seriously. Naturally, I use the term ironically, like the millennial I am, slapping it onto anything that vaguely matches-because if my owl coffee mug and socks count, so does half my jewelry box.

But let's be real-by today's standards, if grocery bakeries can pass off vaguely bread-like objects as croissants, you can call a matching bracelet and necklace a parure and no one is going to stop you.
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Do You Need One?

Yes. No. Maybe. Always.

With more eyes on vintage jewelry, a parure is a dream find. Most of the sets I come across have been scattered across different states-because, let's be honest, no one thinks to keep them together. Jewelry trends changed, families separated heirlooms, and sometimes, pieces just got lost along the way. 

Oddly enough, when you do find a set in the wild, it's usually cheaper than buying each piece individually. There's probably an economist out there who could explain why-but only if you're willing to get trapped in that conversation at a party.

Parures in the Wild

It's no surprise that you'll find most parures in mid-century costume jewelry, especially brands like Trifari, Coro, and Napier. The 1950s were the original matchy-matchy era. The concept itself, however, dates back much further-European royalty popularized the trend in the 18th and 19th centuries, commissioning elaborate parures encrusted with diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires to flaunt their wealth (and probably their superiority complexes). High-end designers later followed suit-Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels made some absurdly luxurious parures for people whose jewelry budgets included private islands.

But even if you're not dripping in diamonds, vintage parures can be found online for reasonable prices. (I'd try searching for terms like 'set,' 'matching,' 'group,' 'similar,' or 'multiple'-for some reason, 'multiple' works suspiciously well. It's a terrible keyword, but somehow, the algorithm loves it-no clue why, but I've stopped questioning it.) It's still **one of the best ways to build a collection** without chasing down pieces one by one.

Final Verdict: Fancy or Just a Marketing Gimmick?

Both. A parure sounds exclusive, but in reality, it's just a well-matched set with a French label slapped on for prestige. But if you find one? Absolutely buy it. You'll feel effortlessly classy and get instant collector cred.

And really-who doesn't love an excuse to wear a perfectly coordinated jewelry set and channel a little old-school glamour?

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