Large Sapphires
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Diamond, White Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary British Edwardian Solitaire Rings
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, Platinum
Late 20th Century Unknown Dome Rings
Amethyst, Onyx, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold
20th Century Greek Brooches
Emerald, Sapphire, 18k Gold
20th Century More Rings
Citrine, Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
20th Century More Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s American Drop Earrings
South Sea Pearl, Sapphire
20th Century More Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Pearl, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American More Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Silver
Late 20th Century British Cufflinks
Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1940s American More Jewelry
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Link Bracelets
Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary More Rings
Blue Sapphire, Chalcedony, Diamond, Tsavorite
21st Century and Contemporary Italian More Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian More Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1950s Brooches
Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Turquoise, 14k Gold
Vintage 1950s Unknown Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Platinum, White Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Brooches
Blue Diamond, Diamond, Pearl, Ruby, Sapphire, White Diamond, Gold, Silver
Late 20th Century Italian Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Opal, Diamond, Emerald, Sapphire, Platinum
Antique 19th Century British Victorian Cluster Rings
Sapphire, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century Art Deco Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1960s Unknown Modern Bracelets
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Platinum
20th Century Unknown More Earrings
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century American Drop Earrings
Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s Wrist Watches
Stainless Steel
Vintage 1950s Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Hoop Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
American Cufflinks
1990s British Contemporary Cluster Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Turquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1950s American Cuff Bracelets
Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, 14k Gold
20th Century Collectible Jewelry
21st Century and Contemporary More Rings
Diamond, Opal, Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s Hong Kong Modern Cocktail Rings
Blue Sapphire, White Gold
Vintage 1960s More Rings
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold
Vintage 1930s Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Emerald, Rock Crystal, Sapphire, Platinum
Early 2000s Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Indian Band Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Pink Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century American Modern Cluster Rings
Opal, Blue Sapphire, 9k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Peridot, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1960s Brooches
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, Ruby, 18k Gold
2010s British Modern Pendant Necklaces
White Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s Hong Kong Modern Cocktail Rings
Pink Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Vintage 1960s American Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Turquoise, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Decorative Bowls
Iron
Late 20th Century British Engagement Rings
Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Thai Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s American Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1960s British Cluster Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
Antique 19th Century Chinese Vases
Pottery
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Blue Diamond, Brown Diamond, Garnet, Multi-gemst...
Vintage 1980s American Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Mid-20th Century Italian Artisan Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, White 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.