Hungarian Sapphire
21st Century and Contemporary American Georgian Beaded Necklaces
Cultured Pearl, Natural Pearl, Sterling Silver, Vermeil
Antique 19th Century Austrian Renaissance Revival Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Sapphire, Silver
Vintage 1920s Hungarian Art Deco Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Early 20th Century Hungarian Art Deco Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Vintage 1940s Hungarian Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Spinel, Gold, 18k Gold
Antique Early 1900s Fashion Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Hungarian Victorian Brooches
Sapphire, Gold Plate
Antique 1890s Hungarian Victorian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Recent Sales
20th Century European Victorian Bangles
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
20th Century Fashion Rings
Pearl, Sapphire, 14k Gold
Early 20th Century Austrian Drop Earrings
Blue Sapphire, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold
Antique Early 1900s Austrian Edwardian Three-Stone Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Clip-on Earrings
Blue Sapphire, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Early 1900s Hungarian Cluster Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Early 1900s Hungarian Drop Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique Early 1900s Austrian Three-Stone Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique Late 19th Century European Cluster Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century Hungarian Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Sapphire, 14k Gold, Silver
Antique Early 1900s Hungarian Art Nouveau Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century Hungarian Drop Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
Early 20th Century Austrian Chain Bracelets
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
Early 20th Century Three-Stone Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, 14k Gold
Antique Early 1900s Austrian Edwardian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, Yellow Gold, Silv...
Mid-20th Century Hungarian Art Deco Band Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1930s Austrian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century Austrian Renaissance Revival Dangle Earrings
Pearl, Sapphire, Silver
Antique Early 1900s Austrian Edwardian Three-Stone Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Platinum
Antique 1890s Hungarian Baroque Revival Pendant Necklaces
Silver, Enamel
Late 20th Century Hungarian Art Nouveau Barware
Crystal
Late 20th Century Hungarian Bohemian Glass
Crystal
Late 20th Century Hungarian Bohemian Barware
Crystal
Late 20th Century Hungarian Bohemian Barware
Crystal
Vintage 1980s Hungarian Art Deco Stud Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, 14k Gold
Vintage 1920s Austrian Art Deco Engagement Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
Antique 1870s Austrian Arts and Crafts Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Blue Sapphire, Silver
Antique 1890s More Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
Early 20th Century Hungarian Link Bracelets
Amethyst, Blue Sapphire, Citrine, Emerald, Quartz, Sterling Silver
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2010s Unknown Art Deco Pendant Necklaces
Sapphire, Citrine, Tanzanite, Silver, Sterling Silver, Gold, Rose Gold
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Pendant Necklaces
9k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indonesian Modern Cocktail Rings
Tourmaline, 22k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Bridal Rings
Garnet, 14k Gold
Early 20th Century Pendant Necklaces
Amethyst, Pearl, 9k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Modern Engagement Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 14k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century French Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Pearl, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Early 1900s German Edwardian Pendant Necklaces
Silver, Enamel
Antique Early 1900s Edwardian Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Peridot, Gold, 9k Gold
Antique 19th Century British Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Garnet, Yellow Gold, Silver, Enamel
Antique 19th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Antique Early 1900s Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
21st Century and Contemporary American Victorian Beaded Necklaces
Crystal, Cultured Pearl, Quartz, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Georgian Beaded Necklaces
Cultured Pearl, Diamond, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver
Antique 19th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Antique 1880s French Renaissance Revival Pendant Necklaces
Citrine, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Silver
Hungarian Sapphire For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Hungarian 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.