Sapphire Necklace Antique
Early 1900s British Edwardian Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
1840s British Early Victorian Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, Silver
1880s American Victorian Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, Gold, Silver
Early 20th Century Art Deco Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
Late 19th Century French Art Nouveau Sapphire Necklace Antique
Sapphire, 14k Gold, 18k Gold
Mid-19th Century Unknown Early Victorian Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, Silver
1880s Unknown Victorian Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold
1920s Art Deco Sapphire Necklace Antique
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Onyx, Sapphire, Platinum
1920s Unknown Art Deco Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
1920s American Romantic Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Pearl, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century French Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
1910s Unknown Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1910s Unknown Edwardian Sapphire Necklace Antique
Natural Pearl, Blue Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, 15k Gold
1920s Unknown Art Deco Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
1890s Art Nouveau Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
1920s French Art Deco Sapphire Necklace Antique
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Emerald, Onyx, Platinum
15th Century and Earlier Greek Byzantine Sapphire Necklace Antique
Sapphire, 18k Gold
15th Century and Earlier Greek Byzantine Sapphire Necklace Antique
Sapphire, Enamel, 18k Gold
19th Century Spanish Art Nouveau Sapphire Necklace Antique
Aquamarine, Diamond, Pearl, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 9k Gold, Silver
19th Century French Victorian Sapphire Necklace Antique
Natural Pearl, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
15th Century and Earlier Greek Greek Revival Sapphire Necklace Antique
Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 22k Gold
15th Century and Earlier Greek Classical Greek Sapphire Necklace Antique
Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, White Gold
19th Century European Victorian Sapphire Necklace Antique
Amethyst, Moonstone, Sapphire, Gold
Early 20th Century Unknown Victorian Sapphire Necklace Antique
Pink Sapphire, 14k Gold
1910s Arts and Crafts Sapphire Necklace Antique
Moonstone, Sapphire, 9k Gold, Silver
1890s French Late Victorian Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Natural Pearl, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, G...
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Sapphire Necklace Antique
Crystal, Diamond, Rock Crystal, Sapphire, Platinum
Early 1900s French Belle Époque Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
Late 19th Century English High Victorian Sapphire Necklace Antique
Amethyst, Aquamarine, Garnet, Sapphire, Tourmaline, Zircon, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver, 9k Gold
1910s Unknown Art Nouveau Sapphire Necklace Antique
Blue Sapphire, White Diamond, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Sapphire Necklace Antique
Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver
Early 19th Century British Regency Sapphire Necklace Antique
Amethyst, Diamond, Emerald, Garnet, Ruby, Sapphire, Tourmaline, 18k Gold
Mid-18th Century Indian Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Emerald, Natural Pearl, Ruby, Yellow Sapphire, 24k Gold
Early 20th Century Belgian Art Deco Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
Mid-19th Century Sapphire Necklace Antique
Coral, Diamond, Pearl, Natural Pearl, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k...
Early 1900s Russian Russian Empire Sapphire Necklace Antique
Sapphire, 14k Gold
Late 19th Century French Victorian Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Sapphire, Ruby, 18k Gold
Mid-19th Century Victorian Sapphire Necklace Antique
Coral, Diamond, Natural Pearl, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Silver
15th Century and Earlier Greek Classical Greek Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century Spanish Art Nouveau Sapphire Necklace Antique
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold
15th Century and Earlier Greek Classical Greek Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
1890s French Edwardian Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Silver
Early 20th Century Art Deco Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
Late 19th Century Portuguese Belle Époque Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century European Art Deco Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
1910s Unknown Edwardian Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Platinum
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Deco Sapphire Necklace Antique
White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Deco Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Sapphire Necklace Antique
Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
Early 20th Century European Art Nouveau Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Enamel
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Deco Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
1890s Art Nouveau Sapphire Necklace Antique
Opal, Pearl, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1910s European Art Deco Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
1920s Art Deco Sapphire Necklace Antique
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold, Platinum
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Sapphire Necklace Antique For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Sapphire Necklace Antique?
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.
Finding the Right Necklaces for You
We are fortunate to know much of the world’s long and dazzling history of necklaces, as this type of jewelry was so treasured that it was frequently buried with its owners. Today, Van Cleef necklaces, Tiffany necklaces and Cartier necklaces are some of the most popularly searched designer necklaces on 1stDibs.
Lapis lazuli beads adorned necklaces unearthed from the royal graves at the ancient Iraqi civilization of Sumer, while the excavation of King Tut’s burial chamber revealed a sense of style that led to a frenzy of Art Deco designs, with artisans of the 1920s seeking to emulate the elegant work crafted by Ancient Egypt’s goldsmiths and jewelry makers.
In ancient times, pendant necklaces worn by royalty and nobles conferred wealth and prestige. Today, wearing jewelry is about personal expression: Luxury diamond necklaces exude confidence and can symbolize the celebratory nature of a deep romantic relationship, while paper-clip chain-link necklaces designed by the likes of goldsmith Faye Kim are firmly planted in the past as well as the present. Kim works exclusively with eco-friendly gold, and these fashionable, fun accessories owe to the design of 19th-century watch fobs.
For some, necklaces are thought of as being a solely feminine piece, but this widely loved accessory has been gender-neutral for eons. In fact, just as women rarely took to wearing a single necklace during the Renaissance, men of the era layered chains and valuable pendants atop their bejeweled clothing. In modern times, the free-spirited hippie and counterculture movements of the 1960s saw costume-jewelry designers celebrating self-expression through colorful multistrand necklaces and no shortage of beads, which were worn by anyone and everyone.
Even after all of these years, the necklace remains an irrefutable staple of any complete outfit. Although new trends in jewelry are constantly emerging, the glamour and beauty of the past continue to inform modern styles and designs. In a way, the cyclical history of the necklace differs little from its familiar looped form: The celebrated French jewelry house Van Cleef Arpels found much inspiration in King Tut, and, now, their Alhambra collection is a go-to for modern royals. Vintage David Webb necklaces — whose work landed him on the cover of Vogue in 1950, two years after opening his Manhattan shop — were likely inspired by the ornamental styles of ancient Greece, Mesopotamia and Egypt.
On 1stDibs, browse top designers like Dior, Chanel and Bulgari, or shop by your favorite style, from eye-catching choker necklaces to understated links to pearl necklaces and more.
- 1stDibs ExpertDecember 4, 2023To tell if a necklace is antique, first look for hallmarks that indicate the maker. If you locate them, you can consult trusted online resources to find out when the company or artisan was active. To qualify as an antique, a necklace must be at least 100 years old. The presence of materials that are no longer commonly used to produce jewelry, like bakelite, camphor glass, foil opals and paste, can be good indicators that a piece is an antique. Antique jewelry is also more likely to have European- and rose-cut gemstones than modern cuts like the brilliant round. Because it can be difficult to date jewelry on your own, you may wish to consult an expert, like a certified appraiser or experienced dealer, for assistance. On 1stDibs, shop a large collection of antique necklaces.
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