Rare Sapphire
20th Century American Retro Brooches
Diamond, Jade, Ruby, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary More Jewelry
Sapphire
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Emerald, Sapphire, Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary British Loose Gemstones
Sapphire
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Contemporary Cuff Bracelets
Blue Sapphire, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Lever-Back Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, Pink Sapphire, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Lever-Back Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, Pink Sapphire, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hoop Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold
Antique Late 19th Century North American Modern Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Brooches
Diamond, Emerald, Opal, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Black Opal, Multi-gemst...
21st Century and Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hoop Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
2010s European Modern Stud Earrings
Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Kunzite, Sapphire, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Jade, Pink Sapphire, Spinel, Gold, 18k Gold
Mid-20th Century Wrist Watches
Diamond, Pearl, Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, Tsavorite, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Retro Bracelets
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century Unknown Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Brooches
Diamond, Opal, Blue Sapphire, Black Opal, Emerald, Onyx, Sapphire, Gold,...
21st Century and Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Spinel, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Lever-Back Earrings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold
20th Century French Fashion Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary North American Modern Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Retro Bracelets
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, Pink Sapphire, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, Sapphire, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, Pink Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Chandelier Earrings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Black Opal, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Kunzite, Pink Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Tennis Bracelets
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Black Opal, Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1970s North American Retro Brooches
Moonstone, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
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Rare Sapphire For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Rare Sapphire?
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.
- Is a star sapphire rare?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 31, 2023Yes, a star sapphire is rarer than other types of sapphires. The gemstones get their name from the natural starburst effect that appears on their faces when you view them under a single overhead light. On 1stDibs, shop a range of star sapphire gemstone jewelry.
- 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.