1940s Van Cleef & Arpels 18k gold hair comb in case
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in London, GB
This charming 1940s Van Cleef & Arpels pocket comb is made of 18k yellow gold. It is adorned with a
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
Art Nouveau Large Gold Gemstone and Tortoise Mounted Hair Comb by Carter Gough
By Carter Gough & Co.
Located in Chicago, IL
Circa 1910 signed Carter Gough & Co. of Newark New Jersey, Exceptional Art Nouveau Hair Comb
Citrine, Sapphire, 14k Gold
Art Deco Calibre Cut Sapphire Diamond Platinum Pair Of Hair Combs
Located in New York, NY
One Pair Of Platinum Art Deco Hair Combs Embellished With Numerous Beautiful Color Calibre Cut
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Platinum
Vintage Art Deco Black Suede Handbag
Located in London, GB
A chic hexaganol shape Art Deco handbag in black suede. The bag has a decorative art deco clasp and is lined in fabric with one internal pouch pocket and integrated purse. Measuremen...
Herbert Levine Red Stilettos
By Herbert Levine
Located in New York, NY
Glamorous Herbert Levine Red Calf Stilettos decorated with a black "berry" and red ties. Retailed at Bonwit Teller, 1950's USA. 6.5AA, 2.75" widest across front. Very narrow.
Hermes Birkin 25 Rouge Exotic Lizard Bag Palladium Hardware
By Hermès
Located in Miami, FL
Mightychic offers a limited edition Hermes Birkin 25 bag Rouge Exotic in rare coveted Lizard. A gorgeous strawberry red that is neutral and perfect for year round wear. A glorious po...
Gianni Versace silk off-shoulder cropped blouse, ss 1993
By Gianni Versace
Located in London, GB
Gianni Versace silk off-shoulder cropped blouse with signature Versace print. Spring-Summer 1993
$4,671
H 6.11 in D 0.79 in L 7.88 in
Hermès Vintage Pola Purse Clutch Evening Bag 2 ways Black Ostrich Golden Hdw
By Hermès
Located in Corcoué Sur Logne, Loire-Atlantique
Rare and Beautiful Authentic Hermès Purse "Pola" Made in France No stamp but vintage Made of Ostrich Leather and Golden Hardware Ostrich is it a resistant leather, and less sub...
$1,595
H 4.75 in W 3.25 in
Vintage Chanel 2000s Black Patent Leather CC Logo Quilted Wristlet Micro Clutch
By Chanel
Located in San Francisco, CA
Vintage Chanel black patent leather mini wristlet purse from 2003/2004. Bag has square quilting throughout with CC logos, large CC logo at top. Dangling large gunmetal silver metal C...
Valentino Polka Dot Red Silk Blouse
By Valentino
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Vintage red silk Valentino from the miss V collection with white polkadots. we offer more vintage items, view our frontstore The blouse has two parts at the side for closing, there...
$3,240
Size: FR 38 - UK 10 - US 6
Vivienne Westwood cow print nude silk corseted off shoulder dress, ss 1999
By Vivienne Westwood
Located in London, GB
Vivienne Westwood cow print nude and black silk mid-length evening dress with built-in corset and draped off-shoulder neckline Spring-Summer 1999
Dolce & Gabbana pink floral printed silk dress, ss 1997
By Dolce & Gabbana
Located in London, GB
Dolce & Gabbana pink floral printed silk dress with attached nude bra. Spring-Summer 1997
Vintage Chanel Black and White Halter Maxi Dress
By Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, Chanel
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
1990s CHANEL black and white V neck halter maxi dress. Size: 4 / small Bust 34” / Waist : 26” Hip: open/ Dress length: 55”
Vintage Yves Saint Laurent YSL Massive Hand Painted Paisley Cotton Shawl Scarf
By Yves Saint Laurent
Located in San Diego, CA
Vintage YVES SAINT LAURENT massive (55 inches by 55 inches) lightweight hand painted cotton voile shawl / scarf! Features vibrant colors of red, gold, green, blue and white throughou...
NEW Gianni Versace Couture FW 2000 Purple Fur Jacket Coat 42
By Gianni Versace Couture
Located in Switzerland, CH
A great piece by GIANNI VERSACE COUTURE This gorgeous jacket is made out of finest amethyst-colored fur From the famous FW 2000 collection Softest, lightweight fur Very versatile ...
Chanel Lurex Linen Mini Tote
By Chanel
Located in New York, NY
Chanel Mini Tote in lurex linen with gold leather lining. Linen is metallic gold with over quilting with signature chain handles. Charming miniature shopping bag size with logo clasp...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 1995 Striped Crosshatch Button Front Men's Dress Shirt
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 1995 Striped Crosshatch Button Front Men's Dress Shirt Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: S/S 1995 Designer: Alexander McQueen Style: butto...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 2006 "Neptune" Plum Purple Bow Front Empire Cocktail Dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
DESCRIPTION: ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 2006 "Neptune" Plum Purple Bow Front Empire Cocktail Dress Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: Spring / Summer 2006 “Neptune” Des...
Christian Dior Haute Couture Polka Dot Chiffon Gown, Betsy Bloomingdale 1980
By Christian Dior
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is a sheer chiffon black and white polka dot gown by Christian Dior Haute Couture, from 1980. The gown has an open slit up the front and comes as a three piece set, with a match...
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.