17 Carat Sapphire
20th Century Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s Fashion Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, White Gold
1990s Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire
Vintage 1960s American Retro Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Opal, Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Opal, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1980s Retro Bracelets
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Tennis Bracelets
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Antique 19th Century Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Star Sapphire
Vintage 1930s Unknown Art Deco More Bracelets
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1980s Swiss Link Bracelets
Sapphire, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
20th Century French Cocktail Rings
Garnet, Opal, Sapphire, Rhodium, Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s Israeli Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s Unknown Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s Unknown Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, Sapphire, Silver, Sterling Silver
Early 2000s Unknown Modern Cuff Bracelets
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, White Gold
2010s American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Unknown Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Topaz, Blue Topaz, Silver, Sterling Silver
1990s Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Early 1900s Unknown More Rings
Sapphire, Yellow Gold
2010s Tennis Bracelets
Diamond, Sapphire, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Baroque Clip-on Earrings
Opal, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Gold Plate, Silver
Vintage 1980s Italian Contemporary Drop Earrings
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Baroque Cuff Bracelets
Ruby, Sapphire, Tourmaline, 18k Gold, Gold Plate, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Belle Époque Drop Earrings
Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 22k Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Baroque Drop Earrings
18k Gold, Gold Plate, Silver
Vintage 1970s French Wrist Watches
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1910s French Belle Époque Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Link Bracelets
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Go...
Late 20th Century French Solitaire Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
20th Century British Victorian Cluster Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s Swiss Wrist Watches
Rose Gold
2010s Swiss Wrist Watches
Rose Gold
2010s Swiss Wrist Watches
Rose Gold, Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s Swiss Wrist Watches
- 1
17 Carat Sapphire For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a 17 Carat Sapphire?
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 rings, vintage engagement rings or Art Deco engagement rings.)
Find an exquisite collection of vintage and antique sapphire jewelry on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022The highest carat sapphire to ever be discovered is the Blue Giant of the Orient, as of January 2022. It weighs 486.52 carats and originated from a mine in Ratnapura, Sri Lanka. On 1stDibs, shop a large selection of sapphire gemstone jewelry.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021A standard size of a round sapphire is 6mm which is approximately one carat, making 7mm sapphires just slightly larger than a carat. Because sapphires are heavier than diamonds, a one carat sapphire is slightly smaller than a one carat diamond.
- 1stDibs ExpertMay 5, 2023How much a 1-carat natural sapphire is worth depends on its color, cut and quality. Sapphires can range in value from $25 to thousands of dollars per carat. A certified appraiser or knowledgeable jewelry expert can examine a particular gemstone piece and give you an estimate of its value. On 1stDibs, find a collection of sapphire gemstone jewelry.