Large Sapphires
21st Century and Contemporary Decorative Bowls
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, Rose Gold
2010s Stud Earrings
Pink Sapphire, Rose Gold
2010s North American Artist Pendant Necklaces
Sapphire, Gold Plate, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1910s Arts and Crafts Pendant Necklaces
Moonstone, Sapphire, 9k Gold, Silver
2010s American Artist Pendant Necklaces
Sapphire, Yellow Gold, Gold Plate
2010s British Art Nouveau More Objets d Art and Vertu
White Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Israeli Link Necklaces
Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Contemporary Cluster Rings
White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
Early 20th Century French Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, Platinum
2010s Italian Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Pink Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Canadian Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
Aquamarine, White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s Canadian Contemporary Band Rings
Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Australian Contemporary Fashion Rings
Beryl, Sapphire, Tsavorite, Gold, 14k Gold
2010s Stud Earrings
Diamond, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Blue Sapphire, Sterling Silver
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Yellow Sapphire, Sterling Silver
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Pink Sapphire, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1910s French Art Nouveau More Objets d Art and Vertu
Natural Pearl, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s Spanish Modern Pendant Necklaces
Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Yellow Sapphire, Rose Gold, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Fashion Rings
Diamond, Labradorite, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Serving Pieces
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Brooches
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Indian Dangle Earrings
Early 20th Century British Late Victorian Band Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Gold
2010s Sri Lankan Engagement Rings
Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Sapphire, White Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Clip-on Earrings
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Sapphire, White Diamond, Platinum
Late 20th Century Cluster Rings
Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
20th Century Unknown Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Star Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s European Romantic Pendant Necklaces
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Spinel, Gold, 10k Gold
Vintage 1930s American Dangle Earrings
Sapphire, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Indian Artisan Chain Necklaces
Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapp...
Vintage 1980s More Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
2010s Unknown Modern Cocktail Rings
Blue Sapphire, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century French Retro Brooches
Sapphire
2010s Loose Gemstones
Blue Sapphire
2010s Sri Lankan Contemporary Loose Gemstones
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire
2010s Loose Gemstones
Blue Sapphire
American Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Three-Stone Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Citrine, Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1970s Engagement Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, Platinum
2010s Sri Lankan Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Platinum
Thai Necklace Enhancers
Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1920s Canadian Art Deco Link Bracelets
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
Mid-20th Century Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Green Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Solitaire Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Green Sapphire
2010s European Romantic Pendant Necklaces
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Spinel, Silver
French Brooches
Sapphire
Vintage 1970s Retro Cluster Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold
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Large Sapphires For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Large Sapphires?
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.