Large Sapphires
Vintage 1980s Unknown Modern Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold
20th Century Drop Necklaces
Multi-gemstone, Diamond, Garnet, Gold, Enamel
Mid-20th Century British Modern Link Bracelets
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Russian Cigar Boxes and Humidors
Gold, Silver, Enamel
Vintage 1970s British Art Deco Cluster Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s Chandelier Earrings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Link Necklaces
Sapphire, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Vintage 1970s Cluster Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1970s American Artisan Signet Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Gold
Vintage 1970s Cluster Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s British Modern More Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1960s Unknown Modern More Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1970s American Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1960s Unknown Artisan Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
20th Century British Drop Earrings
Sapphire, White Gold
2010s Unknown Art Deco Lever-Back Earrings
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s American Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1960s American Artisan Brooches
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1950s Unknown Cuff Bracelets
Antique 19th Century Austrian Renaissance Revival Dangle Earrings
Pearl, Sapphire, Silver
Vintage 1970s American Retro Pendant Necklaces
Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1930s Unknown Stud Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cluster Rings
Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s French Cufflinks
Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1960s American Brooches
Gilt Metal
20th Century French Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold
20th Century French Cufflinks
Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire, Purple Sapphire, Gol...
2010s American Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire
2010s Unknown Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s American Modern Clip-on Earrings
Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold
20th Century American Brooches
Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1970s Greek Band Rings
Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s American Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Swedish Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, 18k Gold
19th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary American Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Kunzite, Sapphire, Topaz, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Art Deco Three-Stone Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
2010s Argentine Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, Vermeil, Silver
2010s Argentine Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, Vermeil, Silver
Mid-20th Century French Post-War Brooches
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Brooches
Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Chain Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary North American Modern Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, Tsavorite, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Brooches
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Swiss Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Pendant Necklaces
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow 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.