Purple Sapphire Cabochon
20th Century Unknown Fashion Rings
Diamond, Purple Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Amethyst, Diamond, Onyx, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Purple Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Band Rings
Diamond, Purple Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Band Rings
Purple Sapphire, Sapphire, Diamond, Yellow Gold, White Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Purple Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Sapphire, Coral, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, ...
2010s Sri Lankan Contemporary Loose Gemstones
Star Sapphire
2010s Thai Contemporary Solitaire Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Purple Sapphire, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s Thai Contemporary Solitaire Rings
Brown Diamond, Star Sapphire, Purple Sapphire, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Loose Gemstones
Sapphire, Purple Sapphire
21st Century and Contemporary Dome Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Fashion Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire
21st Century and Contemporary American Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Platinum
2010s Thai Contemporary Lever-Back Earrings
Jade, Sapphire, Purple Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s Thai Contemporary More Rings
Ruby, Pink Sapphire, Purple Sapphire, Star Ruby, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Three-Stone Rings
Diamond, Purple Sapphire, Platinum
2010s Thai Contemporary Solitaire Rings
Jade, Sapphire, Purple Sapphire, 18k Gold
Antique 1890s English Victorian Dome Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Silver, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1950s Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Purple Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1970s Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Purple Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1920s Swedish Art Deco Cluster Rings
Sapphire, Purple Sapphire, 18k Gold, Silver
Early 20th Century Edwardian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Artisan Dome Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Sapphire, Purple Sapphire, Yellow Gold, Gold, 18...
2010s Thai Contemporary Lever-Back Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, Purple Sapphire, Star Ruby, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Vintage 1970s German Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Opal, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
2010s Australian Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Platinum
2010s Hong Kong Three-Stone Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Star Sapphire, Platinum
20th Century Cocktail Rings
Star Sapphire, White Gold, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Tennis Bracelets
Star Sapphire, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Cluster Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Platinum
2010s North American Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Cluster Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Retro Link Bracelets
Amethyst, Ruby, Sapphire, Topaz, 18k Gold, Gold Plate, Silver
Mid-20th Century Engagement Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary North American Contemporary Dome Rings
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, Star Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century Engagement Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Star Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
20th Century Modern Band Rings
Star Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Fashion Rings
Diamond, Purple Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Hong Kong Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Purple S...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Garnet, Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire...
2010s Hong Kong Cocktail Rings
Purple Sapphire, Green Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Sapphire,...
Vintage 1910s Edwardian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Purple Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Opal, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Ye...
20th Century Unknown Retro Brooches
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
Mid-20th Century Dome Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Multi-gemstone, Opal, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Black O...
2010s Brazilian Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, Quartz, Pink Sapphire, Tourmaline, Purple Sapphire, 18k Gold, ...
21st Century and Contemporary Link Bracelets
Sapphire, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1920s Unknown Art Deco Charm Bracelets
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Star Sapphire, Platinum
2010s American Contemporary Cluster Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Garnet, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, ...
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Artist Cocktail Rings
Jade, Pink Sapphire, Titanium
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Sapphire, White Diamond, Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Charm Bracelets
Jade, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Jade, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold
Early 2000s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Jade, Purple Sapphire, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Jade, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold
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Purple Sapphire Cabochon For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Purple Sapphire Cabochon?
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.
- What is a cabochon sapphire?1 Answer
Roman Malakov DiamondsApril 19, 2021A cabochon sapphire is a sapphire cut into a cabochon shape. A cabochon shape is characterized as having a convex, rounded surface that is polished but unfaceted. - Can sapphires be purple?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021Yes, sapphires can be purple. While sapphires are generally blue, these stones actually come in a wide range of colors. Purple sapphires are some of the rarest sapphires in the world.
- Is purple sapphire real?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMay 5, 2023Whether purple sapphire is real depends on the piece in question. Nature does produce purple sapphires, but they are not as common as other colors like blue and white. An expert appraiser can help you determine if a particular piece contains a genuine gemstone. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of sapphire gemstone jewelry.
- 1stDibs ExpertJune 15, 2023What a purple sapphire means is largely a matter of individual interpretation. Some people associate the gemstone with wisdom, while others believe it symbolizes spiritual enlightenment. On 1stDibs, shop a range of sapphire jewelry from some of the world’s top sellers.
- Are purple star sapphires rare?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2023Yes, natural purple star sapphires are rarer than sapphires of other colors like blue. Natural purple star sapphires come in a variety of hues from light lavender to deep violet. Sapphires can even be colorless, or white, although examples are very rare, since the corundum from which they are formed has to have been untouched by any other element. Non-blue colored sapphires are referred to as “fancy sapphires” and can be pink, purple, orange, yellow or green. Shop a collection of vintage and modern sapphire jewelry from some of the world’s top jewelers on 1stDibs.
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