Sapphire Beads
Vintage 1950s More Necklaces
Pearl
Vintage 1950s French Cocktail Rings
Blue Sapphire, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum, Yellow Gold
20th Century Modern Cuff Bracelets
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Y...
Antique 1870s Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Rock Crystal, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Y...
Vintage 1980s Italian Hoop Earrings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Pendant Necklaces
Opal, Ruby, 22k Gold, Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century More Necklaces
Jade, Blue Sapphire
Vintage 1970s Retro Bracelets
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Link Bracelets
Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s More Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
1990s Band Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1930s Cocktail Rings
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Multi-Strand Necklaces
Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold
Coral, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1920s Unknown Art Deco Link Bracelets
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Tanzanite, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Black Pearl, Blue Sapphire, Pearl, Sapphire, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Congolese Art Deco Drop Necklaces
Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Tanzanite, Silver
Vintage 1950s Retro Retro Bracelets
Coral, Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Citrine, Diamond, Peridot, Pink Sapphire, Tiger s Eye, 14k Gold, Sterlin...
1990s British Modern Multi-Strand Necklaces
Aquamarine, Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s American Pendant Necklaces
Natural Pearl, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Gold Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Amethyst, Diamond, Quartz, Ruby, Sapphire, Tanzanite, Tourmaline, Gold P...
2010s Indian Contemporary Brooches
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold, Silver, Titanium
21st Century and Contemporary Link Necklaces
Ruby, Sapphire, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s Hoop Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Art Deco Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Onyx, Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
1970s Indian Caftans
1990s French Art Deco Pendant Necklaces
Gold Plate
1920s Evening Dresses and Gowns
Vintage 1980s German Art Nouveau Multi-Strand Necklaces
Gold Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Link Necklaces
Green Sapphire, Tanzanite, 18k Gold, Gold, White Gold
2010s Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
Vintage 1910s Edwardian Brooches
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Dangle Earrings
Blue Sapphire, Tanzanite, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Rhodium
Mid-20th Century French Brooches
Aquamarine, Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century French Clip-on Earrings
Aquamarine, Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s French Retro Bridal Rings
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Cultured Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Band Rings
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
Early 2000s English Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Spanish Contemporary Hoop Earrings
Chrysophrase, Citrine, Quartz, Sapphire, Topaz, Gold Plate, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1920s American Art Deco Bridal Rings
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Sapphire, White Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Chandelier Earrings
Pink Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s British Brooches
Pearl, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Fashion Rings
Opal, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s German Charm Bracelets
Sapphire, Topaz, 18k Gold
2010s Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Antique 1880s Victorian Bangles
Emerald, Pearl, Ruby, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Vintage 1980s Unknown Modern Dangle Earrings
South Sea Pearl, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Baroque Drop Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Italian Renaissance Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, Aquamarine, Diamond, White Diam...
Mid-20th Century Italian Renaissance Pendant Necklaces
Aquamarine, Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Fres...
Mid-20th Century Italian Renaissance Pendant Necklaces
Aquamarine, Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Fres...
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Drop Earrings
Pearl, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
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Sapphire Beads For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Sapphire Beads?
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.