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14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

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sapphire Diamond Gold Ring
Located in San Francisco, CA
Strong and sleek. This handsome ring is perfectly simple with all the right touches of color and
Category

Late 20th Century Unknown Art Deco 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Blue Sapphire, White Diamond, 14k Gold

Blue Star Sapphire Diamond Ring
Located in Toronto, Ontario
In this Blue Star Sapphire and Diamond Ring, a 31.57 carat light Blue Star Sapphire is center set
Category

20th Century Unknown 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Star Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold

Pink Sapphire Diamond Gold Ring
Located in ALTRINCHAM, GB
Spectacular pink sapphire, diamond and 14ct gold ring; this dramatic ring is set with 3 pink, oval
Category

1970s Unknown 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Pink Sapphire, 14k Gold

Sapphire and Diamond Cluster Ring
Located in Lewisburg, WV
Diamond and Sapphire Cluster Ring Approximately 5cts of Sapphire and 60pts of Diamonds. (.6ct)
Category

20th Century Unknown Contemporary 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold

Sapphire/Diamond 14kt Ring - Estate
Located in Methuen, MA
. Center stone was removed and replaced with a 71pt round dark blue sapphire - reminiscent of those to be
Category

1950s North American 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold

Vintage Filigree Sapphire Engagement Ring
Located in BALMAIN, NSW
(14K). The Ring Contains: One claw set round natural blue sapphire, colour is "medium dark, strong
Category

Mid-20th Century American Art Deco 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Sapphire, 14k Gold

14 Karat Diamond Star Sapphire Ring
Located in Jackson Heights, NY
sapphire in a prong setting style and 14K spiral white gold twisted-bypass shank design with 0.06-carat
Category

1980s 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Star Sapphire, 14k Gold

Star Sapphire Ring with Diamond Accents in 14k White Gold. 2.00 Cts Sapphire
Located in Surfside, FL
Beautiful Pirple Star Sapphire cabochon ring (app. 2 carats) set in 14k white gold with baguette
Category

20th Century 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

White Gold

Star Sapphire 14k White Gold Ring with 2 Diamond Accents
Located in Surfside, FL
Star sapphire and diamond ring in 14k white gold with center cabochon star sapphire and 2 full cut
Category

20th Century 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

White Gold

Star sapphire 14k white gold ring with 2 diamond accents.
Located in Surfside, FL
Star sapphire and diamond ring in 14k white gold with center cabochon star sapphire and 2 full cut
Category

20th Century 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

White Gold

14 Karat Yellow Gold Star Sapphire Ring
Located in Westfield, NJ
14k yellow gold ring with a center star sapphire cabochon, (2.95 carats) accented with four
Category

20th Century 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Star Sapphire, 14k Gold

14 Karat Vintage Diamond and Sapphire Ring
Located in Jackson Heights, NY
This enchanting a 14K yellow gold vintage ring boasts of a classic 0.10-carat sapphire and 0.06
Category

1980s 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold

14 Karat Vintage Diamond and Sapphire Ring
Located in Jackson Heights, NY
, this is it. This ring features an exclusive, exceptional and man-made bullet shaped sapphire in a prong
Category

1990s 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Star Sapphire, 14k Gold

Enamel Sapphire Solitaire Diamond Ring
Located in METAIRIE, LA
We offer an impeccable presentation, as well as detailed gift-wrap of your choice, with this purchase. In addition, you will receive a fully descriptive appraisal certificate inclu...
Category

1950s Art Deco 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Pave Diamond and Sapphire Cocktail Ring
Located in Lewisburg, WV
14K, 2.42 tcw Diamond and Sapphire Cocktail Ring. Sapphire 6.8 x 4.6mm (Graded only as so much as
Category

20th Century Unknown Art Deco 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold

Ceylon Sapphire Diamond Ring
Located in Southampton, NY
diamonds weighing, approximately 1.65 cts, mounted in 14K white gold. The sapphire has a deep rich hue and
Category

1970s American 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold

Stunning Edwardian Sapphire Diamond Navette Ring
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Whitehaven is a stunning Edwardian era platinum topped yellow gold navette style ring centering a
Category

20th Century Edwardian 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Platinum

Ladies Yellow Sapphire and Diamond Ring
Located in Lewisburg, WV
One ladies Yellow Sapphire and Diamond, 14 kt white gold ring. One oval sapphire, 12.5 ct and 22
Category

20th Century Unknown Contemporary 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, 14k Gold

Vintage Sapphire and Diamond Cocktail Ring
Located in Metairie, LA
. Made famous by Princess Diana, the diamond halo sapphire cocktail ring has become one of the most
Category

1960s Unknown Art Deco 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold

Pink Sapphire Diamond White Gold Cluster Ring
Located in Metairie, LA
An estate piece. These astonishing ladies’ ring is made of solid 14k white gold. It features a
Category

1960s 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Pink Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold

14 Karat Sapphire and Diamond Cluster Ring.
Located in Jackson Heights, NY
This dazzling beauty features a 0.25 marquise-cut sapphire in a cluster setting which is
Category

1990s 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold

14 Carat Yellow Gold Sapphire and Diamond Cluster Ring
Located in Oxted, Surrey
14ct Yellow Gold Sapphire and Diamond Cluster Ring. Set with one large central oval natural 9x7mm
Category

1970s Retro 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold

1.50 Carat Sapphire Diamond Gold Engagement Ring
Located in Tampa, FL
diamond melee weighing .20ct. apx. T.W. The ring is crafted in 14K yellow gold and this sapphire and
Category

1980s Unknown Modern 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold

1950s Retro Diamond and Sapphire Cluster Ring
Located in New York, NY
This 1950s Retro ring is made of a combination of shiny marquise-cut and round-cut blue sapphires
Category

1950s Unknown Retro 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold

Festive Sapphire Diamond Gold Spray Ring
Located in TRYON, NC
Gorgeous spray of blue sapphires and diamonds from knuckle to knuckle. There are 1.10 ct blue
Category

Late 20th Century American Contemporary 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold

Ruby Star Sapphire Ring in 14k White Gold with Diamond Accents
Located in Surfside, FL
Vintage ruby star sapphire ring in 14k white gold with diamond accents, approximate 4 carat star
Category

20th Century 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Yellow Gold, White Gold

Ruby star sapphire ring in 14k white gold with diamond accents
Located in Surfside, FL
Vintage ruby star sapphire ring in 14k white gold with diamond accents, approximate 4 carat star
Category

20th Century 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

White Gold

14 Karat Sapphire and Diamond Ladies Ring
Located in Jackson Heights, NY
14k Yellow gold Weight= 5.3gr Size= 5 1/2 Diamond= 0.05 ct total Sapphire= 1/4 ct total
Category

1990s American Art Deco 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold

Sapphire 0.50cts and Diamond 1.50cts Ring 14k White Gold, Star Cluster
Located in Surfside, FL
Star cluster ring with approx. 1.50 carats in diamonds and 0.50 cts in blue sapphires set in 14k
Category

20th Century 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

White Gold

14 Karat Diamond and Sapphire Ladies Ring
Located in Jackson Heights, NY
14K White and Rose Gold Weight= 8gr Size= 8 Diamond= 0.50 Ct total Diamond's color & Clarity
Category

1980s American Artist 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold

Vintage Sapphire and Diamond Wide Gold Ring
Located in Pikesville, MD
Circa 1965. This uniquely designed 14k yellow gold wide ring features 5 cabochon blue sapphires and
Category

1960s Unknown 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold

2 Carat GIA Sapphire Gold Cocktail Ring
Located in METAIRIE, LA
This Sapphire & Diamond Cocktail Ring contains a focal G.I.A. Certified 2 carat Oval cut Sapphire
Category

1970s 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold

One of a kind Sapphire and Pearl Ring
Located in New York, NY
translucent cocoon of thinly-sliced rough sapphire and textured gold. Ring size 6.
Category

1960s 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Sapphire, Cultured Pearl, 14k Gold

10 Carat Sapphire and Diamond Ballerina Ring
Located in Aliso Viejo, CA
This sapphire and diamond ring contains the following. One oval sapphire that has cornflower blue
Category

1970s American Modern 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

White Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold

1960s 2.54 Carat Sapphire Diamond Ring
Located in Carmel, CA
A beautiful sapphire, diamond and 14k white gold ring crafted circa 1960. This vibrant piece
Category

1960s Contemporary 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold

14 Karat Diamond and Sapphire Ladies Ring
Located in Jackson Heights, NY
14K White Gold Weight= 5.5gr Size= 5 1/2 Diamond= 1/2 Ct total Saphire= 1.70 Ct total Year
Category

1980s American Art Deco 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold

7.19 Carat Blue Sapphire and Diamond Cocktail Ring
Located in New York, NY
Phenomenal 7.19 carat Blue Sapphire and Diamond Cocktail Ring Beautiful 4.19 Carat Sapphire and
Category

1970s Retro 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold

Old Mine Cut Diamond and Sapphire Halo Ring
Located in New York, NY
Explore history with this gorgeous Old Mine cut diamond ring featuring a 2.33ct center diamond, J-K
Category

20th Century Unknown Art Nouveau 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold

21.60 Carat Blue Star Sapphire Diamond Gold Ring
Located in Naples, FL
This beautiful ring holds an approximate 21.60ct Blue Star Sapphire securely bezel set in 14k white
Category

Late 20th Century 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Star Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold

9.21 Carat Blue Sapphire and Diamond Cocktail Ring
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Sapphire and diamond square cocktail ring crafted in 14 karat yellow gold. Size 7. The ring is bead
Category

1990s Unknown 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold

Blue Sapphire and Diamond Curved Gold Ring
Located in Pikesville, MD
Beautiful and vibrant 14 karat yellow gold blue sapphire and white diamond channel set curved ring
Category

1990s Unknown Contemporary 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold

Iridescent 1.58 Carat Sapphire and Square Diamond Halo Ring
Located in METAIRIE, LA
This Sapphire & Diamond Halo Ring features a central Round Cabochon cut 1.58 carat Iridescent Blue
Category

1980s 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold

14 Karat Vintage Sapphire and Diamond Ladies Ring
Located in Jackson Heights, NY
14k Yellow gold Weight= 2.8gr Diamond= 0.20 ct total Sapphire= 0.40 ct total Size= 6
Category

1990s American Art Deco 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold

14 Karat Vintage Sapphire and Diamond Ladies Ring
Located in Jackson Heights, NY
14k White Gold Weight= 4 gr Size= 6 Sapphire= 0.24 ct total Diamond= 0.14 ct total
Category

1990s American Art Deco 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold

14 Karat Vintage Ruby and Sapphire Ladies Ring
Located in Jackson Heights, NY
14k Yellow Gold Weight= 5.4gr Size= 5 1/2 Sapphire= 1.2 ct total Ruby= 1.5 ct total
Category

1950s American Art Deco 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Ruby, Sapphire, 14k Gold

14 Karat Vintage Sapphire and Diamond Ladies Ring
Located in Jackson Heights, NY
14k Yellow gold Weight= 4.6 gr Size= 7 Sapphire= 1ct tptal Diamond= 0.26 ct total
Category

1990s American Art Deco 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold

14 Karat Vintage Sapphire and Diamond Ladies Ring
Located in Jackson Heights, NY
14k Yellow Gold Weight= 5.5 gr Size= 7 Sapphire= 1.5 ct total Diamond= 0.36 ct total
Category

1990s American Art Deco 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold

14 Karat Vintage Sapphire and Diamond Ladies Ring
Located in Jackson Heights, NY
14k White Gold Weight= 3.4 gr Size= 6 1/2 Diamond= 0.18 Ct total Sapphire= 0.12 ct Total
Category

1990s American Art Deco 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold

14 Karat Vintage Diamond and Sapphire Ladies Ring
Located in Jackson Heights, NY
14k Yellow gold Weight= 5.5 gr Diamond= 1/2 ct total Sapphire= 1 ct total Size= 61/ 2
Category

1980s American Art Deco 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold

14 Karat Vintage Sapphire and Diamond Ladies Ring
Located in Jackson Heights, NY
14k Yellow gold Weight= 4 gr Size= 6 1/2 Diamond= 0.15 ct total Sapphire= 3/4 ct total
Category

1990s American Art Deco 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold

14 Karat Vintage Sapphire and Diamond Ladies Ring
Located in Jackson Heights, NY
14k White Gold Weight= 5gr Diamond= 0.10 ct total Sapphire= 2 1/2 ct total Size= 5 1/2
Category

1990s American Art Deco 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold

Two-Tone Gold Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald Ring
Located in Pikesville, MD
A comfortable and wearable 14 karat two tone gold ring featuring princess cut ruby, emerald and
Category

1990s 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

White Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold

14 Karat White Gold Sapphire Diamond Ballerina Cocktail Ring
Located in New York, NY
14K White Gold Sapphire Diamond Ballerina Cocktail Ring 6.1 Penny Weight Ring Size: 4 Center Stone
Category

Late 20th Century Unknown 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold

Vintage 14kt White Gold Sapphire and Diamond Ring
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage 14kt white gold, sparkling purple trillion cut sapphire ring with an estimated weight
Category

Late 20th Century 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold

Yellow Gold Blue Sapphire and Diamond Cocktail Ring
Located in Pikesville, MD
Vintage 14 karat yellow gold blue sapphire and diamond cluster style cocktail ring. Ring features a
Category

1970s Unknown Retro 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold

Ceylon Sapphire Diamond Ring, circa 1950s
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Classic 1950’s 14K white gold ring featuring a richly saturated 8mm round 1.75 carat Ceylon blue
Category

1950s Unknown 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold

14 Karat Carved Coral Flower, Blue Sapphires Ring
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Different and Delightful! This 14 karat yellow gold ring features a carved, lifelike blooming
Category

Late 20th Century Unknown Artisan 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring

Materials

Coral, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold

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14k Vintage Sapphire Ring For Sale on 1stDibs

Surely you’ll find the exact 14k vintage sapphire ring you’re seeking on 1stDibs — we’ve got a vast assortment for sale. Every item for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using Gold, 14k Gold and Yellow Gold. Find an antique version now, or shop for 426 vintage or 43 modern creation for a more contemporary example of these cherished accessories. You’re likely to find the perfect 14k vintage sapphire ring among the distinctive items we have available, which includes versions made as long ago as the 15th Century as well as those produced as recently as the 21st Century. Creating a 14k vintage sapphire ring has been a part of the legacy of many jewelers, but those produced by Antinori Fine Jewels, Diamonds Mine and Alberto are consistently popular. Today, if you’re looking for a round cut version of this piece and are unable to find the perfect match, our selection also includes oval cut and mixed cut alternatives. Most of our 14k vintage sapphire ring for sale are for women, but there are 65 pieces available to browse for men.

How Much is a 14k Vintage Sapphire Ring?

The price for a 14k vintage sapphire ring starts at $300 and tops out at $44,000 with these rings, on average, selling for $1,445.

Why Gold Shines in Jewelry Craftsmanship

Gold is the feel-good metal, the serotonin of jewelry. Wear vintage and antique gold necklaces, watches, gold bracelets or gold rings and you feel happy, you feel dressed, you feel, well, yourself. 

Gold, especially yellow gold, with its rich patina and ancient pedigree going back thousands of years, is the steady standby, the well-mannered metal of choice. Any discussion of this lustrous metal comes down to a basic truth: Gold is elementary, my dear. Gold jewelry that couples the mystique of the metal with superb design and craftsmanship achieves the status of an enduring classic. Many luxury houses have given us some of our most treasured and lasting examples of gold jewelry over the years.

Since its founding, in 1837, Tiffany Co. has built its reputation on its company jewelry as well as its coterie of boutique designers, which has included Jean Schlumberger, Donald Claflin, Angela Cummings and Elsa Peretti. There are numerous gold Tiffany classics worth citing. Some are accented with gemstones, but all stand out for their design and the workmanship displayed.

For the woman who prefers a minimalist look, the Tiffany Co. twist bangle (thin, slightly ovoid) is stylishly simple. For Cummings devotees, signature pieces feature hard stone inlay, such as her pairs of gold ear clips inlaid with black jade (a play on the classic Chanel black and tan), or bangles whose design recalls ocean waves, with undulating lines of lapis lazuli and mother-of-pearl. And just about any design by the great Jean Schlumberger is by definition a classic.

Even had he eschewed stones and diamonds, Southern-born David Webb would be hailed for the vast arsenal of heavy gold jewelry he designed. Gold, usually hammered or textured in some manner, defines great David Webb jewelry. The self-taught jeweler made very au courant pieces while drawing inspiration from ancient and out-of-the-way sources — East meets West in the commanding gold necklaces made by Webb in the early 1970s. The same could be said for his endlessly varied gold cuffs.

In Europe, many houses have given us gold jewelry that sets the highest standard for excellence, pieces that were highly sought after when they were made and continue to be so. 

Numerous designs from Cartier are homages to gold. There are the classic Trinity rings, necklaces and bracelets — trifectas of yellow, white and rose gold. As a testament to the power of love, consider the endurance of the Cartier Love bracelet.

Aldo Cipullo, Cartier’s top in-house designer from the late 1960s into the early ’70s, made history in 1969 with the Love bracelet. Cipullo frequently said that the Love bracelet was born of a sleepless night contemplating a love affair gone wrong and his realization that “the only remnants he possessed of the romance were memories.” He distilled the urge to keep a loved one close into a slim 18-karat gold bangle. 

BVLGARI and its coin jewelry, gemme nummarie, hit the jackpot when the line launched in the 1960s. The line has been perennially popular. BVLGARI coin jewelry features ancient Greek and Roman coins embedded in striking gold mounts, usually hung on thick link necklaces of varying lengths. In the 1970s, BVLGARI introduced the Tubogas line, most often made in yellow gold. The Tubogas watches are classics, and then there is the Serpenti, the house's outstanding snake-themed watches and bracelets.

A collection called Monete that incorporated the gold coins is one of several iconic BVLGARI lines that debuted in the 1970s and ’80s, catering to a new generation of empowered women. Just as designers like Halston and Yves Saint Laurent were popularizing fuss-free ready-to-wear fashion for women on the go, BVLGARI offered jewels to be lived in

Since Van Cleef Arpels opened its Place Vendôme doors in 1906, collection after collection of jewelry classics have enchanted the public. As predominantly expressed in a honeycomb of gold, there is the Ludo watch and accessories, circa the 1920s, and the golden Zip necklace, 1951, whose ingenious transformation of the traditional zipper was originally proposed by the Duchess of Windsor. Van Cleef's Alhambra, with its Moroccan motif, was introduced in 1968 and from the start its popularity pivoted on royalty and celebrity status. It remains one of VCA’s most popular and collected styles.

Mention must be made of Buccellati, whose name is synonymous with gold so finely spun that it suggests tapestry. The house’s many gold bracelets, typically embellished with a few or many diamonds, signified taste and distinction and are always in favor on the secondary market. Other important mid-20th-century houses known for their gold-themed jewelry include Hermès and Ilias Lalaounis.

Find a stunning collection of vintage and antique gold jewelry on 1stDibs.

The Legacy of Sapphire in Jewelry Design

On 1stDibs, shop the bright blue gems that star in sapphire rings, sapphire necklaces and other vintage and antique sapphire jewelry

Sapphires — the stone of choice for Napoleon, Princess Diana and Elizabeth Taylor — have been a favorite of aristocrats and the well-to-do since the time of the Ancient Greeks.

Picture a sapphire. If the stone you conjure is a deep cornflower blue, you’re seeing only part of the picture. Although blue Kashmirs are considered the most valuable, sapphires come in every color except red. No matter the hue, this very special gem is rich in history and beloved by royals (FYI, Princess Diana and Kate Middleton share an 11-carat sapphire engagement ring), so September babies are in very noble company.

America’s version of royalty — old money and celebrities — have also shown a predilection for the blue stones. In 1940, John D. Rockefeller Jr. had Cartier mount a 62-carat sapphire he had bought from an Indian maharajah in a brooch for his first wife, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller; in 2001, the piece sold for a then-record of $3,031,000 at Christie’s New York.

The grand dame of jewelry, Elizabeth Taylor had a passion for the gems that her lovers were happy to indulge. Second husband Michael Wilding gave her an engagement ring set with a cabochon sapphire, while Richard Burton famously presented her with a BVLGARI sautoir set with diamonds and sapphires, including at its center a cabochon Burmese weighing 52.72 carats. One of the star lots in the sale of Taylor’s jewels at the Christie’s New York in 2011, it sold for $5,906,500.

You don’t have to have blue blood or a bulging bank account, however, to get an eyeful of this much-coveted gem. A number of outstanding examples reside in public collections.

The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History owns the 423-carat Logan sapphire, a gift from the Guggenheim family, and the Hall sapphire and diamond necklace, designed by Harry Winston and featuring 36 fine, well-matched cushion-cut Sri Lankan sapphires weighing a combined 195 carats. Also in the collection is the Bismarck sapphire necklace, designed by Cartier and sporting a central sapphire weighing 98.6 carats, which Mona Von Bismarck donated to the museum.

Sapphires are composed of corundum. Their color derives from trace elements, such as iron, titanium, chromium, copper or magnesium. When the trace element produces a ruby hue, the stone is called, what else, a ruby. (which is, as mentioned above, why sapphires cannot be red by definition).

The allure of large gemstones endures throughout the periods characterized as vintage, and sapphire features frequently in vintage engagement rings. (On 1stDibs, a range of buying guides can be found for those in the market for antique engagement ringsvintage engagement rings or Art Deco engagement rings.)  

Find an exquisite collection of vintage and antique sapphire jewelry on 1stDibs.

Finding the Right Rings for You

Antique and vintage rings have long held a special place in the hearts of fine jewelry lovers all over the world.

No matter their origin or specific characteristics, rings are timeless, versatile accessories. They’ve carried deep meaning since at least the Middle Ages, when diamond rings symbolized strength and other kinds of rings were worn to signify romantic feelings or to denote an affiliation with a religious order. Rings have also forever been emblematic of eternity.

Over time, rings have frequently taken the form of serpents, which have long been associated with eternal life, health and renewal. Italian luxury jewelry house Bulgari has become famous for its widely loved Serpenti motif, for example, and its Serpenti ring, like the other accessories in the collection, began as an homage to jewelry of the Roman and Hellenistic eras. The serpent is now a popular motif in fine jewelry. Jewelry devotees have long pined for rings adorned with reptiles, thanks to antique Victorian rings — well, specifically, Queen Victoria’s illustrious engagement ring, which took the form of a gold snake set with rubies, diamonds and an emerald (her birthstone). Designs for Victorian-era engagement rings often featured repoussé work and chasing, in which patterns are hammered into the metal.

Engagement rings, which are reliably intimidating to shop for, are still widely recognized as symbols of love and commitment. On 1stDibs, a range of buying guides can be found for those in the market for antique engagement ringsvintage engagement rings or Art Deco engagement rings

The most collectible antique engagement rings and vintage engagement rings are those from the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco eras. Named for the monarchies of the four King Georges, who in succession ruled England starting in 1714 (plus King William’s reign), antique Georgian rings, be they engagement rings or otherwise, are also coveted by collectors. Pearls, along with colored gemstones like garnets, rubies and sapphires, were widely used in Georgian jewelry. The late-1700s paste jewelry was a predecessor to what we now call fashion or costume jewelry

The Art Nouveau movement (1880–1910) brought with it rings inspired by the natural world. Antique Art Nouveau rings might feature depictions of winged insects and fauna as well as women, who were simultaneously eroticized and romanticized, frequently with long flowing hair. Art Deco jewelry, on the other hand, which originated during the 1920s and ’30s, is by and large “white jewelry.” White metals, primarily platinum, were favored over yellow gold in the design of antique Art Deco rings and other accessories as well as geometric motifs, with women drawn to the era’s dazzling cocktail rings in particular.

Whether you’re hunting down a chunky classic for a Prohibition-themed cocktail party or seeking a clean contemporary design to complement your casual ensemble, find an exquisite collection of antique, new and vintage rings on 1stDibs.