Vintage 3 Carat Blue Sapphires & Diamonds Band Ring 14k Gold
Located in Miami, FL
Vintage 3 Carat Blue Sapphire & Diamonds Band Ring 14k Gold. The ring features a natural
Vintage 1970s Band Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 3 Carat Blue Sapphires & Diamonds Band Ring 14k Gold
Located in Miami, FL
Vintage 3 Carat Blue Sapphire & Diamonds Band Ring 14k Gold. The ring features a natural
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
14K Yellow Gold Green Sapphire Rustic Vintage Diamond Ring 'Center-1/3 Carat'
Located in San Francisco, CA
person! Product details: Center Gemstone Type: SAPPHIRE Center Gemstone Carat Weight: 0.36 Center
Diamond, Green Sapphire, Yellow Gold
GIA Cert. 1.85 Carat Oval Blue Sapphire & Diamond 14K White Gold 3 Stone Ring
Located in Miami, FL
Presented here is a GIA certified 1.85-carat oval-cut sapphire and round diamond 3-stone ring. On
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
$1,992Sale Price|20% Off
Natural Sapphire Diamond Ring 14k W Gold 3 TCW Certified
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Natural Sapphire Diamond Ring Size 7 14k W Gold 3 TCW Certified $2,990 216680 This is a Unique
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold
0.47 Carat Natural Sapphire Stackable Ring Band 14k White Gold
Located in New York, NY
0.47 Carat Natural Sapphire Eternity Stackable Ring Band G SI 14K White Gold 100% Natural
Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
1930s Carat Sapphire and Diamond 14K Yellow Gold Twist Cocktail Ring
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An impressive 0.37 carat sapphire and 0.83 carat diamond, 14 karat yellow gold and 14 karat white
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
0.50 Carat Natural Diamond & Sapphire Ring Band 14K White Gold
Located in New York, NY
0.50 Carat Natural Diamond and Blue Sapphire Ring Band G SI 14K White Gold 100% Natural Diamonds
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
14K White Gold 1.15 carat Sapphire and Diamond Ring
Located in Big Bend, WI
14K white gold blue sapphire and diamond ring. The ring features a genuine earth mined round
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
CLEARANCE, 3.22-Carat Natural pear Intense Yellow Sapphire Ring White Gold 14K
Located in Great Neck Plaza, NY
Stunning 3.22-Carat Natural Pear-Shaped Intense Yellow Sapphire Ring in 14K White Gold This
Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
14 Karat 3-stone Oval 3.55 Carat Natural Sapphire and Diamond Ring
Located in Laguna Hills, CA
This elegant 14 karat ring showcases a stunning 3.55 carat natural oval sapphire with rich blue
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
White Gold Sapphire Diamond Cluster Cocktail Bypass Ring 14k Square1.62ctw 7 3/4
Located in Greensboro, NC
Size: 7 3/4 Metal Content: 14k White Gold Stone Information Natural Sapphires Treatment: Heating
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
$1,170Sale Price|20% Off
14 Karat White Gold Peach Sapphire Solitaire Ring '2/3 Carat'
Located in San Francisco, CA
This Solitaire ring features 0.64-carat square cushion shape Peach Natural Sapphire in a bezel
Pink Sapphire, Sapphire, White Gold
0.90 Carat Natural Diamond & Yellow Sapphire Ring Band 14K White Gold
Located in New York, NY
0.90 Carat Natural Diamond and Yellow Sapphire Ring Band G SI 14K White Gold 100% Natural Diamonds
Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
Pink Sapphire Stackable Ring 2mm 14K Gold 3/4 Band, Wedding, Stack, LR50889
By Gabriel & Co.
Located in Austin, TX
beautifully and also look great by themselves! Round pink sapphires are set 3/4 around the band. The 14 karat
Pink Sapphire, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Ceylon No Heat Star Sapphire Ring in 14k Rose Gold, approx. 3 ct
Located in Berlin, BE
Rose gold ring set with an approximately 3 carat Ceylon star sapphire, unheated. The stone displays
Star Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
0.52 Carat Natural Pink Sapphire & Diamond Eternity Ring Band 14k White Gold
Located in New York, NY
0.52 Carat Natural Diamond and Pink Sapphire Eternity Ring Band G SI 14K White Gold 100% Natural
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
VIctorian 14k Sapphire & Diamond Flush Mount Ring
Located in Narberth, PA
A beautiful sapphire and diamond ring from the Victorian (ca1880s) era! Crafted in 14k yellow gold
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1.3 Carat Oval Cut Blue Sapphire and Diamond 3 Stone Curvy Ring
Located in Miami, FL
A timeless 3-stone ring featuring a rich blue sapphire center flanked by delicate round cut diamond
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Yellow Gold Blue Sapphire Sapphire Three-Stone Ring - 14k Oval .96ctw
Located in Greensboro, NC
Size: 5 3/4 Sizing Fee: Up 3 sizes for $50 or Down 2 sizes for $40 Metal Content: 14k Yellow Gold
Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Yellow Gold Sapphire Diamond Ring - 14k Oval & Pear .45ctw Three-Stone Sz 2 3/4
Located in Greensboro, NC
Size: 2 3/4 Metal Content: 14k Yellow Gold & 14k White Gold Stone Information Natural Sapphires
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Multicolor Sapphire Cluster Ring Topaz 3.26 Carats 14K Yellow Gold Plated Silver
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
Carats 3 Green Sapphires = 0.60 Carats 10 White Topaz = 0.10 Carats Metal: 14K Yellow Gold Plated
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire,...
White Gold Sapphire Diamond Ring - 14k Oval .80ctw
Located in Greensboro, NC
Size: 6 1/4 Sizing Fee: Up 3 sizes for $50 or Down 2 sizes for $40 Metal Content: 14k White Gold
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
$499Sale Price|23% Off
Multicolor Sapphire Cluster Ring Topaz 3.26 Carats 14K Yellow Gold Plated Silver
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
Carats 3 Green Sapphires = 0.60 Carats 10 White Topaz = 0.10 Carats Metal: 14K Yellow Gold Plated
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire,...
$4,950Sale Price|41% Off
14k White Gold Blue Topaz, Blue Sapphire and diamond 3 stone halo ring
By Gregory Mikaelian & Sons, Inc.
Located in Los Angeles, CA
14k White Gold Blue Topaz, Blue Sapphire and diamond 3 stone halo ring Specifications: Total Carat
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Blue Topaz, 14k Gold, White Gold
Sapphire & Diamond Ring 14K White Gold
Located in Montgomery, AL
a unique wedding band!! Ring Details Material: 14K White Gold Head Width: 7.5mm Head Height: 3.5mm
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
4.30 Carats Natural Blue Sapphire and Diamond 14K Solid White Gold Ring
Located in Los Angeles, CA
4.30 Carats Natural Blue Sapphire and Diamond 14K Solid White Gold Ring Total Blue Sapphire Weight
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
2.60 Carat Natural Sapphire Diamond Ring, 3 Stone Engagement Ring
Located in Ramat Gan, IL
hand of a princess. A 2.60 carat sapphire offers elegant depth and color, surrounded by 2 individually
Diamond, Emerald, 14k Gold
2.60 Carat Natural Sapphire Diamond Ring, 3 Stone Engagement Ring
Located in Ramat Gan, IL
hand of a princess. A 2.60 carat sapphire offers elegant depth and color, surrounded by 2 individually
Diamond, Emerald, 14k Gold
$2,398Sale Price|27% Off
New 14k Gold GIA 1.27ctw Oval Sapphire & Round Emerald Sides 3 Stone Ring
Located in Montclair, NJ
(exact) Material: Solid 14k Yellow Gold w/ White Gold Center Basket Weight: 3.24 Grams Ring Size: 6.5
Sapphire, Emerald, Yellow Gold, White Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
Yellow Gold Sapphire Solitaire Ring - 14k Oval .37ct
Located in Greensboro, NC
Gold Stone Information Natural Sapphire Treatment: Heating Carat(s): .37ct Cut: Oval Color: Greenish
Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 14K Sapphire Diamond Engagement Ring
Located in Webster, SD
. The gorgeous cushion cut sapphire is a 3 carat, vibrant blue with hints of purple. It measures 8x8 mm
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
Vintage 1940s 6.00 Carat Star Sapphire Ring
Located in New York, NY
Finely crafted in 14k yellow gold with a Cabochon Star Sapphire weighing approximately 6.00 carats
Star Sapphire, 14k Gold
Retro Two-Tone Gold 3 Carat Natural Royal Blue Sapphire & Diamond Ring 1980
Located in Los Angeles, CA
of about 2 carats, bringing the total gemstone weight to approximately 3 carats. The ring is stamped
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
14 Karat Gold Cushion Purple Sapphire Vintage Diamond Ring Center, 2/3 Carat
Located in San Francisco, CA
person! Product details: Center Gemstone Type: SAPPHIRE Center Gemstone Carat Weight: 0.61 Center
Diamond, Sapphire, Purple Sapphire, Yellow Gold
14k Gold 0.21 Carat Emerald Ruby And Sapphire Multi Stone Ring
By Oshi Jewels
Located in Bangkok, TH
Brilliant Emerald ring in 14k or 18k Solid gold featured with a natural sparkly Emerald, Ruby, and
Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
$2,516Sale Price|20% Off
1.86 Carat Blue Sapphire Gemstone Ring 0.5 Carat SI/H Diamond 14k White Gold
By Spectrum Jewels
Located in Diera, Dubai
Cast from 14-karat gold, these exquisite ring is handset with 1.86 carats blue sapphire and 0.5
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, White Gold, 14k Gold
Multicolor Sapphire Cluster Ring Topaz 3.26 Carats 14K Yellow Gold Plated Silver
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
Carats 3 Green Sapphires = 0.60 Carats 10 White Topaz = 0.10 Carats Metal: 14K Yellow Gold Plated
Topaz, Green Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Sa...
$2,960Sale Price / item|20% Off
1.42 Carat Blue Sapphire 0.37 Carat SI/H Diamond Cocktail Ring 14k White Gold
By Spectrum Jewels
Located in Diera, Dubai
Cast from 14-karat gold, these exquisite ring is handset with 1.42 carats blue sapphire and 0.37
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
Multicolor Sapphire Cluster Ring Topaz 3.26 Carats 14K Yellow Gold Plated Silver
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
Carats 3 Green Sapphires = 0.60 Carats 10 White Topaz = 0.10 Carats Metal: 14K Yellow Gold Plated
Topaz, Green Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Sa...
$499Sale Price|44% Off
Multicolor Sapphire Cluster Ring Topaz 3.26 Carats 14K Yellow Gold Plated Silver
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
Carats 3 Green Sapphires = 0.60 Carats 10 White Topaz = 0.10 Carats Metal: 14K Yellow Gold Plated
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire,...
1.30 Carat Round Yellow Sapphire and 3 Row RBC Diamond Gold Vintage Ring
Located in Montreal, QC
Simply Beautiful! Finely detailed Yellow Sapphire and Diamond Vintage Gold Cocktail Ring. Securely
Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
$499Sale Price|44% Off
Multicolor Sapphire Cluster Ring Topaz 3.26 Carats 14K Yellow Gold Plated Silver
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
Carats 3 Green Sapphires = 0.60 Carats 10 White Topaz = 0.10 Carats Metal: 14K Yellow Gold Plated
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire,...
$499Sale Price|44% Off
Multicolor Sapphire Cluster Ring Topaz 3.26 Carats 14K Yellow Gold Plated Silver
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
Carats 3 Green Sapphires = 0.60 Carats 10 White Topaz = 0.10 Carats Metal: 14K Yellow Gold Plated
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire,...
Retro Gold 3 Carat Cocktail Ring Natural Diamonds Sapphire and Pearl, circa 1960
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Retro 14k Yellow Gold 3 Carat Cocktail Ring set with Natural Diamonds, Sapphire & 10.5mm Pearl
Diamond, Pearl, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
Multicolor Sapphire Cluster Ring Topaz 3.26 Carats 14K Yellow Gold Plated Silver
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
Carats 3 Green Sapphires = 0.60 Carats 10 White Topaz = 0.10 Carats Metal: 14K Yellow Gold Plated
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire,...
$499Sale Price|44% Off
Multicolor Sapphire Cluster Ring Topaz 3.26 Carats 14K Yellow Gold Plated Silver
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
Carats 3 Green Sapphires = 0.60 Carats 10 White Topaz = 0.10 Carats Metal: 14K Yellow Gold Plated
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire,...
Multicolor Sapphire Cluster Ring Topaz 3.26 Carats 14K Yellow Gold Plated Silver
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
Carats 3 Green Sapphires = 0.60 Carats 10 White Topaz = 0.10 Carats Metal: 14K Yellow Gold Plated
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire,...
Multicolor Sapphire Cluster Ring Topaz 3.26 Carats 14K Yellow Gold Plated Silver
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
Carats 3 Green Sapphires = 0.60 Carats 10 White Topaz = 0.10 Carats Metal: 14K Yellow Gold Plated
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire,...
$499Sale Price|44% Off
Multicolor Sapphire Cluster Ring Topaz 3.26 Carats 14K Yellow Gold Plated Silver
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
Carats 3 Green Sapphires = 0.60 Carats 10 White Topaz = 0.10 Carats Metal: 14K Yellow Gold Plated
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire,...
Yellow Gold Sapphire Diamond Ring - 14k Oval 1.14ctw
Located in Greensboro, NC
Size: 5 1/4 Sizing Fee: Up 3 sizes for $35 or Down 1 1/2 sizes for $25 Metal Content: 14k Yellow
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
$499Sale Price|44% Off
Multicolor Sapphire Cluster Ring Topaz 3.26 Carats 14K Yellow Gold Plated Silver
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
Carats 3 Green Sapphires = 0.60 Carats 10 White Topaz = 0.10 Carats Metal: 14K Yellow Gold Plated
Topaz, Green Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Sa...
$499Sale Price|44% Off
Multicolor Sapphire Cluster Ring Topaz 3.26 Carats 14K Yellow Gold Plated Silver
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
Carats 3 Green Sapphires = 0.60 Carats 10 White Topaz = 0.10 Carats Metal: 14K Yellow Gold Plated
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire,...
$499Sale Price|44% Off
Multicolor Sapphire Cluster Ring Topaz 3.26 Carats 14K Yellow Gold Plated Silver
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
Carats 3 Green Sapphires = 0.60 Carats 10 White Topaz = 0.10 Carats Metal: 14K Yellow Gold Plated
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire,...
$499Sale Price|44% Off
Multicolor Sapphire Cluster Ring Topaz 3.26 Carats 14K Yellow Gold Plated Silver
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
Carats 3 Green Sapphires = 0.60 Carats 10 White Topaz = 0.10 Carats Metal: 14K Yellow Gold Plated
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire,...
$499Sale Price|44% Off
Multicolor Sapphire Cluster Ring Topaz 3.26 Carats 14K Yellow Gold Plated Silver
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
Carats 3 Green Sapphires = 0.60 Carats 10 White Topaz = 0.10 Carats Metal: 14K Yellow Gold Plated
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire,...
$499Sale Price|44% Off
Multicolor Sapphire Cluster Ring Topaz 3.26 Carats 14K Yellow Gold Plated Silver
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
Carats 3 Green Sapphires = 0.60 Carats 10 White Topaz = 0.10 Carats Metal: 14K Yellow Gold Plated
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire,...
$499Sale Price|44% Off
Multicolor Sapphire Cluster Ring Topaz 3.26 Carats 14K Yellow Gold Plated Silver
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
Carats 3 Green Sapphires = 0.60 Carats 10 White Topaz = 0.10 Carats Metal: 14K Yellow Gold Plated
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire,...
Gold is the feel-good metal, the serotonin of jewelry. Wear vintage and antique gold necklaces, watches, gold bracelets or gold rings and you feel happy, you feel dressed, you feel, well, yourself.
Gold, especially yellow gold, with its rich patina and ancient pedigree going back thousands of years, is the steady standby, the well-mannered metal of choice. Any discussion of this lustrous metal comes down to a basic truth: Gold is elementary, my dear. Gold jewelry that couples the mystique of the metal with superb design and craftsmanship achieves the status of an enduring classic. Many luxury houses have given us some of our most treasured and lasting examples of gold jewelry over the years.
Since its founding, in 1837, Tiffany & Co. has built its reputation on its company jewelry as well as its coterie of boutique designers, which has included Jean Schlumberger, Donald Claflin, Angela Cummings and Elsa Peretti. There are numerous gold Tiffany classics worth citing. Some are accented with gemstones, but all stand out for their design and the workmanship displayed.
For the woman who prefers a minimalist look, the Tiffany & Co. twist bangle (thin, slightly ovoid) is stylishly simple. For Cummings devotees, signature pieces feature hard stone inlay, such as her pairs of gold ear clips inlaid with black jade (a play on the classic Chanel black and tan), or bangles whose design recalls ocean waves, with undulating lines of lapis lazuli and mother-of-pearl. And just about any design by the great Jean Schlumberger is by definition a classic.
Even had he eschewed stones and diamonds, Southern-born David Webb would be hailed for the vast arsenal of heavy gold jewelry he designed. Gold, usually hammered or textured in some manner, defines great David Webb jewelry. The self-taught jeweler made very au courant pieces while drawing inspiration from ancient and out-of-the-way sources — East meets West in the commanding gold necklaces made by Webb in the early 1970s. The same could be said for his endlessly varied gold cuffs.
In Europe, many houses have given us gold jewelry that sets the highest standard for excellence, pieces that were highly sought after when they were made and continue to be so.
Numerous designs from Cartier are homages to gold. There are the classic Trinity rings, necklaces and bracelets — trifectas of yellow, white and rose gold. As a testament to the power of love, consider the endurance of the Cartier Love bracelet.
Aldo Cipullo, Cartier’s top in-house designer from the late 1960s into the early ’70s, made history in 1969 with the Love bracelet. Cipullo frequently said that the Love bracelet was born of a sleepless night contemplating a love affair gone wrong and his realization that “the only remnants he possessed of the romance were memories.” He distilled the urge to keep a loved one close into a slim 18-karat gold bangle.
BVLGARI and its coin jewelry, gemme nummarie, hit the jackpot when the line launched in the 1960s. The line has been perennially popular. BVLGARI coin jewelry features ancient Greek and Roman coins embedded in striking gold mounts, usually hung on thick link necklaces of varying lengths. In the 1970s, BVLGARI introduced the Tubogas line, most often made in yellow gold. The Tubogas watches are classics, and then there is the Serpenti, the house's outstanding snake-themed watches and bracelets.
A collection called Monete that incorporated the gold coins is one of several iconic BVLGARI lines that debuted in the 1970s and ’80s, catering to a new generation of empowered women. Just as designers like Halston and Yves Saint Laurent were popularizing fuss-free ready-to-wear fashion for women on the go, BVLGARI offered jewels to be lived in.
Since Van Cleef & Arpels opened its Place Vendôme doors in 1906, collection after collection of jewelry classics have enchanted the public. As predominantly expressed in a honeycomb of gold, there is the Ludo watch and accessories, circa the 1920s, and the golden Zip necklace, 1951, whose ingenious transformation of the traditional zipper was originally proposed by the Duchess of Windsor. Van Cleef's Alhambra, with its Moroccan motif, was introduced in 1968 and from the start its popularity pivoted on royalty and celebrity status. It remains one of VCA’s most popular and collected styles.
Mention must be made of Buccellati, whose name is synonymous with gold so finely spun that it suggests tapestry. The house’s many gold bracelets, typically embellished with a few or many diamonds, signified taste and distinction and are always in favor on the secondary market. Other important mid-20th-century houses known for their gold-themed jewelry include Hermès and Ilias Lalaounis.
Find a stunning collection of vintage and antique gold jewelry on 1stDibs.
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.
Antique and vintage rings have long held a special place in the hearts of fine jewelry lovers all over the world.
No matter their origin or specific characteristics, rings are timeless, versatile accessories. They’ve carried deep meaning since at least the Middle Ages, when diamond rings symbolized strength and other kinds of rings were worn to signify romantic feelings or to denote an affiliation with a religious order. Rings have also forever been emblematic of eternity.
Over time, rings have frequently taken the form of serpents, which have long been associated with eternal life, health and renewal. Italian luxury jewelry house Bulgari has become famous for its widely loved Serpenti motif, for example, and its Serpenti ring, like the other accessories in the collection, began as an homage to jewelry of the Roman and Hellenistic eras. The serpent is now a popular motif in fine jewelry. Jewelry devotees have long pined for rings adorned with reptiles, thanks to antique Victorian rings — well, specifically, Queen Victoria’s illustrious engagement ring, which took the form of a gold snake set with rubies, diamonds and an emerald (her birthstone). Designs for Victorian-era engagement rings often featured repoussé work and chasing, in which patterns are hammered into the metal.
Engagement rings, which are reliably intimidating to shop for, are still widely recognized as symbols of love and commitment. 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.
The most collectible antique engagement rings and vintage engagement rings are those from the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco eras. Named for the monarchies of the four King Georges, who in succession ruled England starting in 1714 (plus King William’s reign), antique Georgian rings, be they engagement rings or otherwise, are also coveted by collectors. Pearls, along with colored gemstones like garnets, rubies and sapphires, were widely used in Georgian jewelry. The late-1700s paste jewelry was a predecessor to what we now call fashion or costume jewelry.
The Art Nouveau movement (1880–1910) brought with it rings inspired by the natural world. Antique Art Nouveau rings might feature depictions of winged insects and fauna as well as women, who were simultaneously eroticized and romanticized, frequently with long flowing hair. Art Deco jewelry, on the other hand, which originated during the 1920s and ’30s, is by and large “white jewelry.” White metals, primarily platinum, were favored over yellow gold in the design of antique Art Deco rings and other accessories as well as geometric motifs, with women drawn to the era’s dazzling cocktail rings in particular.
Whether you’re hunting down a chunky classic for a Prohibition-themed cocktail party or seeking a clean contemporary design to complement your casual ensemble, find an exquisite collection of antique, new and vintage rings on 1stDibs.
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