Manfredi Italy Eighties Sapphire Ring
By Manfredi
Located in Litchfield, CT
jewelry delights at every turn. This yellow gold ring is set with a fine blue 1.0ct sapphire and .05
Vintage 1980s Italian Fashion Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Manfredi Italy Eighties Sapphire Ring
By Manfredi
Located in Litchfield, CT
jewelry delights at every turn. This yellow gold ring is set with a fine blue 1.0ct sapphire and .05
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Estate Italian Sapphire Diamond Engagement Ring
Located in Napoli, NA
Elegant 18k white Gold, Sapphire and Diamond cluster Ring. It is set in the center with a Bright
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
Italian 18K Gold Sapphire & Diamond Ring (2002)
Located in Firenze, FI
A striking Italian ring crafted in 18K gold (13.700 grams), showcasing a vivid Thai blue sapphire
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Italian Yellow Gold Ring with Diamonds and Sapphires
Located in Esch sur Alzette, Esch-sur-Alzette
Band width : 0.9 cm, height : 0.5 cm This exquisite Italian band ring is a refined blend of
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
$1,622Sale Price|20% Off
Ring / ring Italy, sapphire root and baguette-cut zircons, 925 silver
Located in VALLADOLID, ES
Gorgeous and unique ring set in 925 silver. The arms are divided into three rows of cubic zirconia
Sapphire, Zircon, Silver
Antique 1930s Platinum Sapphire Diamond Ring, Italy, 0.50 Carats
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Platinum rivier ring with finely crafted and engraved shank, and square sapphires with diamonds for
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
Italian 18K Multi-Color Sapphire and Diamond Cocktail Ring
Located in Miami, FL
A striking and luxurious Italian statement ring crafted in 18K white gold, showcasing an
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
$530Sale Price|66% Off
Italy rosette ring, sapphire root and zircons, 925 silver
Located in VALLADOLID, ES
of eight oval-cut sapphire root stones, adding dynamism and symmetry to the composition. The center
Sapphire, Zircon, Silver
Italian 18K White Gold Pear-Cut Sapphire & Diamond Cluster Ring
Located in Great Neck Plaza, NY
A striking vintage Italian cocktail ring crafted in 18K white gold, designed in a dramatic fan
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Retro Italian White Gold Ring with Diamonds and Sapphire
Located in Esch sur Alzette, Esch-sur-Alzette
Top width : 1.2cm Band width : 0.6cm This Retro Italian White Gold Ring is a stunning example of
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage Yellow Sapphire Diamond 18k White Gold Ring Italy
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Classic cocktail ring made of 18 karat white gold (stamped) and featuring a 2.16-carat yellow
Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
UnoAErre Italian 18K Gold Modernist Sapphire & Diamond Bar Ring, 1980s
By UnoAErre
Located in Miami, FL
A sculptural modernist ring by UnoAErre, crafted in richly polished 18K yellow gold and designed
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
18K White Gold Wave Motif Sapphire Diamond Ring, 1960s Italy
Located in Los Angeles, CA
, and sapphires in tapered cut for a total of 2.00 carats / Made in Italy 1960s Ring size US 6.5
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
$1,389Sale Price|30% Off
Italian Ring with sapphire root, 925 sterling silver and zircons
Located in VALLADOLID, ES
One of a kind Ring / ring with sapphire root, 925 sterling silver and zircons, 20th century – Italy
Blue Sapphire, Zircon, Silver
Vintage Italian 26.01 Carat Topaz, Sapphire and Diamond Cocktail Ring
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
set square faceted cut sapphires, totalling 0.54ct. The vintage topaz and sapphire ring is hallmarked
Diamond, Sapphire, Topaz, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Italian 18K White Gold Moonstone, Yellow Sapphire & Diamond Cocktail ring
Located in Miami, FL
A spectacular Contemporary Italian cocktail ring crafted in 18K white gold, showcasing a dramatic
Diamond, Moonstone, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
18K Yellow Gold Sapphire and Diamond Ring, 0.65ct, Italy, 1960s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
18 karat yellow gold ring with two 1.6 carat sapphires on the sides, with a central brilliant
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
18 Karat Yellow Gold Chain Italian Blue Sapphire Ring by Petronilla
By Elisa Pozza by PETRONILLA
Located in Bussolengo, Verona
. On request I can make the same ring in white or pink gold. Sapphire is ct 0.32 Size is 53
Blue Sapphire, Gold
18K White Yellow Gold Sapphire Diamond Ring, 3.9ct, Italy, 1960s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
18 karat white and yellow gold ring with a central blue sapphire of 3.5 carat and surrounding
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 18K Gold Daisy Ring with Diamonds & Sapphires, Italy 1920s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
brilliant diamonds on the contour for a total of 0.4 karats with Carre cut sapphires, Italy 1920-1930s Ring
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Adamas 18k White Gold Aquamarine Sapphire Diamond Cocktail Ring, Italy
By Adamas
Located in New York, NY
Introducing the stunning Aquamarine Sapphire Diamond Ring, a fusion of elegance and affordability
Sapphire, Diamond, Aquamarine, White Gold, 18k Gold
BVLGARI Italy 18k Yellow Gold, Yellow Sapphire, Aquamarine & Diamond Ring 1970s
By Bulgari
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Bvlgari Italy 1970s 18k Yellow Gold, Yellow Sapphire, Aquamarine & Diamond Ring Vintage Here is
Aquamarine, Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, Yellow Gold
Blue Sapphire Twisted Gold Ring Italian 18k Gold Design Oltremare Gioielli
Located in Camisano Vicentino, VI
art of fine Italian craftsmanship with this timeless blue sapphire gold ring, designed to last a
Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
Bulgari Sapphire and Diamond Cluster Ring, Italian, circa 1970
By Bulgari
Located in London, GB
Bulgari sapphire and diamond cluster ring. Set to centre with one octagonal old cut natural
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
18K Yellow Gold Buckle Ring Champagne Diamonds & Yellow Sapphires, Italian 1990
Located in Miami, FL
A glamorous 1990s Italian-style buckle ring that delivers pure attitude. The bold sculptural form
Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Petronilla Calla White Diamond Yellow Sapphire 18Kt Gold Ring Italian Style
By Elisa Pozza by PETRONILLA
Located in Bussolengo, Verona
Calla White Diamond Yellow Sapphire 18Kt Gold Ring Made in Italy This unique and wonderful ring has
White Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
$2,186Sale Price|25% Off
Yellow&Blue Sapphires 9 Karat White Gold Band Ring Handcrafted in Italy
By Botta gioielli
Located in Milano, IT
Modern gracious ring with a centre oval yellow sapphire weighing 1.00 ctw, and two natural
Blue Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, 9k Gold, White Gold
Antique Italian Halo Ring Sapphire Diamonds 12K Ø 7.75US / 4.2gr
Located in SE
Italian Halo Ring with natural Blue - Green Sapphire and 12 rose-cut Diamonds. Hand-made between
Diamond, Sapphire, 10k Gold, Silver
Oval Cut Sapphire 9 Karat Rose Gold Ring Handcrafted in Italy
By Botta gioielli
Located in Milano, IT
Very stylish ring crafted in 9 karat rose gold featuring an oval cut natural blue sapphire weighing
Blue Sapphire, 9k Gold, Rose Gold
$825Sale Price|20% Off
Sapphires Diamonds White Gold Ring Handcrafted in Italy by Botta Gioielli
By Botta gioielli
Located in Milano, IT
Modern stacking rings in 9 karat white gold with natural navette cut sapphires and round cut white
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 9k Gold, White Gold
Prehnite Gemstone Cabochon Pink Sapphire White 18 Kt Gold Ring Made in Italy
By Elisa Pozza by PETRONILLA
Located in Bussolengo, Verona
Prehnite Gemstone Pink Sapphire Red 18 Kt Gold Ring made in Italy This ring in white gold has a
Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
$320Sale Price|54% Off
Italian ring with emerald-cut sapphire root, 925 sterling silver and zircons
Located in VALLADOLID, ES
Gorgeous , unique and highly refined women's engagement ring crafted in 925 sterling silver and
Sapphire, Zircon, Sterling Silver
18K White Gold Diamond and Sapphire Cocktail Ring, Italy Circa 1960s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
18 karat white gold ring with a central round sapphire of 1.2 carats and surrounding diamonds for a
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Italian 2.50 Carat Sapphire 0.70 Carat Diamond 18k White Gold Ring Circa 1960
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
A stunning, fine and impressive vintage Italian 2.50 carat sapphire and 0.70 carat diamond, 18
Diamond, Sapphire, White Gold
Italian 18k Gold Figaro Ring with Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald & Pearl – 6.9g
Located in Berlin, BE
Unique Italian ring in Figaro chain style, crafted in 750 (18k) yellow gold. Set with ruby
Emerald, Pearl, Ruby, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 18kt White Gold Ceylon Sapphire and Diamond Ring, Italy 1930s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage ring with 18 karat white gold band, one center Ceylon sapphire of 2.1 karats, and brilliant
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 18kt White Gold Diamond and Sapphire Ring, Italy Circa 1930s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage ring with 18 karat white gold band, two sapphires for a total of 0.8 karats and three
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 18kt White Gold Sapphire Ring with Diamonds, Italy Circa 1960s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage ring with 18 karat white gold band, one large sapphire of 5.9 karats, and brilliant
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Cocktail White Diamond Yellow Sapphire 18K Gold Calla Flower Ring Made in Italy
By Elisa Pozza by PETRONILLA
Located in Bussolengo, Verona
Cocktail Diamond Sapphire 18K Gold Calla Flower Ring Made in Italy This unique and wonderful ring
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 18kt Yellow Gold Citrine Topaz and Sapphire Ring, Italy 1980s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage ring with 18 karat yellow gold band, citrine topaz and sapphires for a total of 2.93 karats
Citrine, Sapphire, Topaz, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Blue Sapphire Rose Gold Stacking Ring Handcrafted in Italy by Botta Gioielli
By Botta gioielli
Located in Milano, IT
Stacking ring handmade in 9 carat white gold with navette cut sapphire 0.07 ctw. Finger size: US
Sapphire, 9k Gold, White Gold
18KT Yellow Gold Band Ring Cabochon Sapphire Emerald Ruby Made in Italy
By Elisa Pozza by PETRONILLA
Located in Bussolengo, Verona
This band ring is divided along its surface into ten concave parts. It comes from the study of
Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald, Yellow Gold, Gold
Annellino Italian Fine Jewellery Pink Sapphire Bezel Set 18K Stacking Ring
By Annellino Fine Jewellery
Located in London, GB
A 0.17ct Brilliant cut Pink Sapphire has been hand set in a 18kt Yellow Gold bezel setting to
White Diamond, Black Diamond, Brown Diamond, Emerald, Blue Sapphire, Pin...
Annellino Italian Fine Jewellery Blue Ceylon Sapphire and White Diamond Ring
By Annellino Fine Jewellery
Located in London, GB
ring. Additional Details: 1,34ct White VVS-F Diamonds 0.68ct Ceylon Sapphire Set in 18kt White Gold
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Unisex 1.65ct Sapphire and 0.35ct Diamond 18k Gold Ring, Modern Italian Design
By Rossella Ugolini
Located in Rome, IT
: Unisex 1.65 Ct Sapphire & 0.35 Ct Diamond Ring - Modern Italian Design
Sapphire, Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
$10,387
Sapphire Yellow Gold Ring
Located in Geneva, CH
31 Sapphires weight 7.80 carats total on yellow gold 18k Ring. Contemporary.
Sapphire, Yellow Gold
Eighteen Karat Yellow Gold Italian Style Sapphire Ring with Seven Diamonds
By Polya Medvedeva Jewellery
Located in Berlin, DE
This contemporary Italian Style Hortensia Sculptural ring is in 18 karat yellow gold with 7 round
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Go...
Modern Italian White Gold Cocktail Ring with Sapphire and Diamonds IGI Certified
Located in Esch sur Alzette, Esch-sur-Alzette
The Modern Italian White Gold Cocktail Ring with Sapphire and Diamonds is a stunning piece that
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Rainbow Sapphire Emerald Semiprecious Stone Made in Italy 18 Karat Gold Ring
By Elisa Pozza by PETRONILLA
Located in Bussolengo, Verona
Rainbow Sapphire Emerald Semiprecious Stone 18 Karat Yellow Gold Ring Made in Italy This multicolor
Amethyst, Aquamarine, Emerald, Iolite, Sapphire, Tourmaline, Tsavorite, ...
Gold ring with sapphire stone by the Italian brand Paolo Piovan Gioielli
By Paolo Piovan Gioielli
Located in Tel Aviv - Jaffa, IL
Gold ring embedded in the Italian brand Paolo Piovan Gioielli The jewelry details: Diamonds
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Modern Italian Cocktail Ring 18 karat Yellow Gold with Diamonds and Sapphires
Located in Esch sur Alzette, Esch-sur-Alzette
The modern Italian cocktail ring is a stunning piece of jewelry crafted from 18kt yellow gold. It
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
$3,885Sale Price|20% Off
Italian Breathtaking Blue Sapphire Diamonds White Gold Ring for Her
By Natkina
Located in Genève, GE
Ring White Gold 14 K (Matching Earrings Available) Diamond 3-RND57-0,08-4/6 Blue Sapphire 6-1,51 Т
Diamond, White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, White Gold
Cabochon Rhodolite Gemstone Orange Sapphire Red 18 Kt Gold Ring Made in Italy
By Elisa Pozza by PETRONILLA
Located in Bussolengo, Verona
Rhodolite Gemstone Orange Sapphire Red 18 Kt Gold Ring made in Italy This ring in red gold has an
Sapphire, Other, Rhodolite, Gold, 18k Gold
Sapphire Yello Doubble Wave Ring
By Giulia Colussi
Located in Milan, IT
this beautifull ring with 3 different kind of yellow sapphire size 14 eu 19k gold 21gr. All Giulia
Sapphire, 18k Gold
Coral, Sapphires, Diamonds, Platinum Ring.
Located in Marcianise, Marcianise (CE)
drop sapphires. This ring was totally handmade by Italian master goldsmiths and it is in perfect
Coral, Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
$1,214Sale Price|20% Off
Oval Cut Blue Sapphire 9 Karat White Gold Band Ring Handcrafted in Italy
By Botta gioielli
Located in Milano, IT
Very stylish modern band ring crafted in 9k white gold featuring at the centre a oval cut natural
Blue Sapphire, 9k Gold, White Gold
$8,000Sale Price|20% Off
Pink Sapphire Diamond Cocktail Platinum Ring
By Antinori Fine Jewels
Located in Chicago, IL
This sapphire and diamond cocktail ring features a bright pink sapphire surrounded by a scalloped
Diamond, Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Padparadscha Sapphire , Platinum
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.
Whether or not a sapphire ring is a good investment will depend upon a range of factors such as condition, rarity and more. Although blue Kashmirs are considered the most valuable, sapphires come in every color except red. (Kashmir is the birthplace of the most famous sapphires.) According to the Geological Institute of America, the stones from this mountainous region on the India-Pakistan border display a potent combination of a rich, intense blue color and a soft and velvety appearance.
Sapphires can 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. The rarest, and the most valuable, fancy sapphire is the pinkish-orange padparadscha (from the Sinhalese word for “lotus blossom”).
Determining the value of any collectible depends upon a variety of aspects. In the case of assessing the value of an antique or vintage sapphire ring, as with other gems, the 4Cs are crucial. The 4Cs is the grading system established by the GIA to determine how precious stones are evaluated. The 4Cs are color, clarity, cut and carat weight. The most desirable cut is the one that shows to best advantage the particular stone’s individual combination of color, clarity, and brilliance.
At 1stDibs, we believe in buying what you love. Our shopping experience enables discovery and learning, whether you are a seasoned connoisseur or just beginning your collection. Buyers should keep in mind that the value of any investment is subject to fluctuation, and any investment decisions should be made according to the guidance of a financial advisor. Find a range of antique and vintage sapphire rings on 1stDibs.
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