Large Sapphires
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Wrist Watches
18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Wrist Watches
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Wrist Watches
18k Gold
1950s Unknown Accessories
2010s Swiss Wrist Watches
18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Wrist Watches
Swiss Wrist Watches
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Wrist Watches
18k Gold
Vintage 1920s Chinese Art Deco Chinese and East Asian Rugs
Wool, Cotton
21st Century and Contemporary British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Ruby, Gold Plate, Vermeil, Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Cufflinks
Diamond, Brown Diamond, White Diamond, Blue Diamond, Pink Diamond, Blue ...
2010s Sri Lankan Engagement Rings
White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Fashion Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
Late 20th Century Italian Cuff Bracelets
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1970s American Cluster Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, Sterling Silver, 14k Gold
Vintage 1980s French Art Deco Chandelier Earrings
Vintage 1970s American Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s American Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1970s American Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s Italian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire
21st Century and Contemporary North American Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Amethyst, Citrine, Sapphire, Tanzanite, Topaz, Tourmaline, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Multi-Strand Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, White Gold
Vintage 1980s German Art Deco Clip-on Earrings
Gold Plate
20th Century Beaded Necklaces
Sapphire, Onyx, Diamond, Platinum
20th Century Edwardian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1980s Italian Beaded Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, White Gold, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century Art Deco Chain Necklaces
Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Unknown Contemporary Bangles
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
2010s American Modern Hoop Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Gold
1990s American Drop Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1960s Unknown Artisan Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s Unknown Artisan Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, Sapphire, 14k Gold
20th Century Swiss Wrist Watches
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1920s British Art Deco More Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1970s American Contemporary Bangles
Coral, Diamond, Emerald, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan More Bracelets
Aquamarine, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Link Bracelets
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Fashion Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century German Cluster Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Early 2000s North American Contemporary Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
20th Century More Rings
Sapphire, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1950s More Rings
Ruby, Sapphire, Diamond, Emerald, Platinum, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s Swiss Choker Necklaces
Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire, White Dia...
Vintage 1910s Edwardian Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Platinum
Late 20th Century American Modern Engagement Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, 14k Gold
Vintage 1970s Italian Beaded Necklaces
Aquamarine, Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Antique Early 1900s Austrian Victorian Lever-Back Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Sterling Silver
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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.