Large Sapphires
Vintage 1970s Unknown Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s Italian Dangle Earrings
Citrine, Black Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1970s German Clip-on Earrings
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, Kunzite, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Drop Earrings
Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1920s Art Deco Sideboards
Early 20th Century French Engagement Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1980s Unknown Fashion Rings
Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Hong Kong Modern Cocktail Rings
Pink Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Pink Sapphire, Rose Gold, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century American Revival Brooches
Cultured Pearl, Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
20th Century British Contemporary Solitaire Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, White Gold
Mid-20th Century American Romantic Charm Bracelets
Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Hoop Earrings
Vintage 1960s Unknown Brooches
Diamond, Emerald, Lapis Lazuli, Ruby, 18k Gold
2010s Chain Bracelets
Vintage 1960s More Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Garnet, Ruby, Sapphire, Tourmaline, 14k Gold
Vintage 1940s American Art Deco Cufflinks
Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold
Vintage 1980s Italian Brooches
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1940s American More Jewelry
Sapphire, 14k Gold
Vintage 1940s Unknown Brooches
Emerald, Sapphire, 14k Gold
Vintage 1960s Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
2010s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Blue Sapphire, Sterling Silver
2010s Sri Lankan Engagement Rings
White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s British Contemporary Cufflinks
Sapphire, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1940s American More Jewelry
Ruby, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
Vintage 1940s American More Jewelry
Amethyst, Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Topaz, 14k Gold
Vintage 1950s American More Jewelry
Ruby, Sapphire, 14k Gold
Late 20th Century Dutch Contemporary Band Rings
Blue Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Sterling Silver
Early 2000s North American Art Deco Beaded Necklaces
Sapphire, Silver
2010s American Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Multi-gemstone, Quartz, Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Purple Sapphire, Vermei...
Mid-20th Century British Engagement Rings
Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, Gold
2010s Indian Hoop Earrings
Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s American Clip-on Earrings
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
Vintage 1930s British Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Blue Diamond, Brown Diamond, Garnet, Multi-gemst...
Vintage 1960s American Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1960s American Pendant Necklaces
Amethyst, Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Tourmaline, 14k Gold
Vintage 1930s Art Deco Engagement Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Engagement Rings
Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Engagement Rings
Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Pink Diamond, Brown Diamond, Sapphire, Pink Sap...
Vintage 1970s Unknown Modern Cluster Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1980s Brooches
Emerald, Peridot, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1950s American More Jewelry
Amethyst, Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Topaz, 14k Gold
Vintage 1980s Clip-on Earrings
White Diamond, Emerald, Cultured Pearl, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, P...
Vintage 1950s French Modernist Brooches
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Brooches
Amethyst, Aquamarine, Citrine, Peridot, Sapphire, Tourmaline, Yellow Gol...
Vintage 1980s Swiss Wrist Watches
Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
1990s French Wrist Watches
Stainless Steel
Late 20th Century Italian Link Necklaces
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow ...
Late 20th Century Clip-on Earrings
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Clip-on Earrings
Mid-20th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Collectible Jewelry
Coral, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Choker Necklaces
20th Century Art Deco Brooches
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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.