$1,398Sale Price / item|55% Off
Snake design 14k gold Pink sapphire engagement ring
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Snake design 14k gold engagement ring. Marquise pink sapphire gold ring.
Topaz, Sapphire, Gold, Yellow Gold, White Gold, Rose Gold, 14k Gold
$1,398Sale Price / item|55% Off
Snake design 14k gold Blue Sapphire engagement ring
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Snake design 14k gold engagement ring. Marquise sapphire gold ring.
Topaz, Sapphire, Yellow Gold, White Gold, Rose Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
$1,930Sale Price / item|44% Off
Blue, yellow green sapphire 14k gold earrings
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Blue, yellow and green oval sapphire earrings. Sapphire gold earrings. Sapphire statement earrings.
Diamond, Sapphire, Green Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
$825Sale Price / item|44% Off
Pear sapphire 14k gold ring.
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Pear sapphire 14k gold ring. Blue sapphire gold ring. Genuine sapphire ring.
Sapphire, Diamond, 14k Gold, Gold
$961Sale Price / item|44% Off
Garnet, sapphires 14k gold ring
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Red garnet, yellow sapphires gold ring. Natural garnet 14k gold ring.
Diamond, Garnet, Sapphire, 14k Gold
$961Sale Price / item|44% Off
Sapphire Engagement Ring, Oval Sapphire Ring, 14k Gold Ring with Sapphire
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Sapphire engagement ring.Oval Sapphire ring. 14k gold ring with Sapphire.
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
$961Sale Price / item|44% Off
Blue Sapphire 14k Gold Ring
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Sapphire and diamonds 14k gold ring. Sapphire engagement ring.
Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold
$961Sale Price / item|44% Off
Genuine Sapphire 14k Gold Ring
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Genuine sapphire 14k gold ring. Sapphire engagement ring.
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
$961Sale Price / item|44% Off
Genuine Sapphire 14k Gold Ring
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Genuine sapphire 14k gold ring. Sapphire engagement ring.
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
$961Sale Price / item|44% Off
Snake 14k Gold Ring with Sapphire
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Snake ring with sapphire. Blue sapphire gold ring. Snake gold ring.
Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, Diamond, 14k Gold, Gold
Ceylon Royal Blue Sapphire & Diamond Ring in 18K White Gold
Located in Khet Bang Rak, 10
A beautiful Ceylon “Royal Blue” sapphire takes center stage in this elegant ring. The 0.76-carat emerald-cut sapphire is surrounded by 0.94 carats of diamonds, set in 18-karat white ...
$419Sale Price / item|42% Off
Sapphire, sapphires ring.
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Oval sapphire ring in 925 silver. Genuine sapphire gold ring.
Sapphire, Silver
$419Sale Price / item|42% Off
Sapphire, sapphires ring.
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Oval sapphire ring in 925 silver. Genuine sapphire gold ring.
Sapphire, Tanzanite, Silver
Mother of Pearl Star Emerald 18 Karat Gold Sea Horse Pin and Pendant
By Giulia Colussi
Located in Milan, IT
Convertibile pin and pendant carved mother of pearls, star emerald cabochon, star sapphire, gold.
Emerald, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
$2,447Sale Price / item|30% Off
Sapphire vintage style 14k gold ring.
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
14k solid gold ring with sapphire. Yellow sapphire ring. Natural gemstone ring.
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
$1,923Sale Price / item|44% Off
Pear sapphire and diamonds serpenti 14k gold ring
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Adjustable gold ring. Natural sapphire gold ring. Pear sapphire ring.
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
Flower Ring White Gold with Unique White Sapphires, Oval Peridot, Diamonds
By Angeletti
Located in Roma, IT
Flower Happy Ring 18kt White Gold With Oval Green Peridot, Pear White Sapphires and Diamonds.
Diamond, Sapphire, Peridot, 18k Gold, White Gold
$1,000Sale Price|24% Off
Michael Kneebone Golden Chalcedony Yellow Sapphire Pearl Diamond Dangle Earrings
By Michael Kneebone
Located in Austin, TX
Golden chalcedony briolette in a rich yellow/orange color dangle from white button pearls that are drilled and set with bezeled yellow sapphires. Gold drop shaped pearls further dec...
Chalcedony, White Diamond, Cultured Pearl, Yellow Sapphire, Diamond, Pea...
$961Sale Price / item|44% Off
Oval sapphire, tsavorite and diamonds 14k gold ring.
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Oval sapphire, tsavorite and diamonds 14k gold ring. Blue sapphire gold ring.
Diamond, Sapphire, Tsavorite, 14k Gold
$961Sale Price / item|44% Off
Sapphire and diamonds 14k gold ring.
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Sapphire and diamonds 14k gold ring. Oval Sapphire gold ring.
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
$1,223Sale Price / item|30% Off
Vintage ring with sapphire in 14k gold
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
14k solid gold ring with sapphire . Blue sapphire ring. Natural gemstone ring.
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold
Big Flower Ring Gold, Oval Mandarin Granat, Orange Sapphires, Baguette Diamonds
By Angeletti
Located in Roma, IT
Big Flower Happy Ring 18kt Gold With a Oval Mandarin Granat, Pear Orange Sapphires and Baguette Diamonds.
Diamond, Garnet, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Ombre Eternity Band, Natural Sapphire, 14K Yellow Gold Eternity Wedding Band
By Gold Adore
Located in San Francisco, CA
Looking to celebrate color, commitment, and craftsmanship with this stunning ombre sapphire eternity ring. Hand-set with natural, unheated sapphires in a breathtaking gradient of hue...
Sapphire, Yellow Gold
$961Sale Price / item|44% Off
Oval sapphire, tsavorite and diamonds 14k gold ring.
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Oval sapphire, tsavorite and diamonds 14k gold ring. Yellow, orange sapphire gold ring.
Diamond, Sapphire, Tsavorite, 14k Gold
Rainbow Sapphire 10.18ct Oval Cut Ring in 18K Gold
Located in jaipur, IN
Rainbow sapphire pastel shade oval cut U-shaped prong ring gold Natural sapphire eternity band ring gold Pastel shade sapphire gold ring GEMSTONE DETAILS : ✦ Gemstone : Rainbow Sapp...
Sapphire, 18k Gold
$524Sale Price / item|40% Off
Oval blue sapphire ring
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Oval sapphire ring in 925 silver. Genuine sapphire gold ring.
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Silver
$961Sale Price / item|44% Off
Lily calla 14k gold ring with sapphire
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Pear sapphire gold ring. Flower gold ring.Genuine sapphire ring.
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
Elegant 18K Yellow Gold 4.80ct Natural Pink Sapphire Earrings
Located in jaipur, IN
These elegant earrings are crafted in 18-carat yellow gold, featuring a captivating oval-shaped pink sapphire at the center.
Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold
$961Sale Price / item|44% Off
Sapphire Engagement Ring, Sapphire Vintage Ring
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Sapphire engagement ring. Sapphire vintage ring. Genuine Sapphire 14k gold ring.
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
Vintage Sapphire Cabochon Ring in 18K Yellow Gold, 1995
Located in BILBAO, ES
- Year: 1995 - Metal: 18K Yellow Gold - Gold Weight: 9.45 grams - Ring Height: 11 mm - Gemstones - 1 Cabochon-Cut Sapphire, approx. 5.71 carats cabochon sapphire ring, sapp...
Sapphire, Yellow Gold
$961Sale Price / item|44% Off
Lily calla 14k gold ring with sapphire and diamonds
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Pear sapphire gold ring. Flower gold ring.Genuine sapphire ring.
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
$419Sale Price / item|42% Off
Sapphire, tanzanites ring.
By Daizy Jewellery
Located in Istanbul, TR
Oval sapphire ring in 925 silver. Genuine sapphire gold ring.
Sapphire, Tanzanite, Silver
Colorful Pink Sapphire Emerald Ruby Tsavorite Diamond Cocktail Rose Gold Ring
By Natkina
Located in Genève, GE
Diamond 23-0.13ct-G/ VS1A Tsavorite 1-0.08сt 1/2A Ruby 1-0.2ct 5/3A Blue Sapphire 2-0.31ct 5/2A Orange Sapphire 2-0.04ct Yellow ,Rose sapphires Gold 14K It is our honour to create ...
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, T...
Sapphire Floral Diamond Ring Engagement Ring Wedding Ring in 14 Karat White Gold
By Gold Adore
Located in San Francisco, CA
In the center, we have a gorgeous Natural Ceylon Sapphire. This Sapphire is a Round Cut, 1.35ct in weight, 6.4mm across, and is of excellent quality.
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold
Teal Sapphire and Baguette Diamond Ring Engagement Ring.
By Gold Adore
Located in San Francisco, CA
Currently a Size 7 and sizable. 14k Solid Yellow Gold. Natural teal sapphire, Round, 6mm. From Montana.
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
2.30 Cts F/VS1 Round Diamonds Sapphires Unisex Rainbow Necklace 18K Yellow Gold
Located in New Delhi, Delhi
Specifications : Diamond Weight : 0.60 Carats Diamond Shape : Round Diamond Color Grade : F Diamond Clarity Grade : VS1 Sapphire Weight : Natural 1.70 Carats Princess Sapphires G...
Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Cornflower Blue Sapphire and Baguette Diamond Ring Engagement Ring.
By Gold Adore
Located in San Francisco, CA
Currently a Size 7 and sizable. 14k Solid White Gold. Natural Cornflower sapphire, Round, 6mm. From Montana, from Navit.
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, White Gold, 14k Gold
9.01 Ct F/VS1 Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds Blue Sapphire Necklace 18K White Gold
Located in New Delhi, Delhi
Specifications : Diamond Weight : 1.96 Cts (0.16 Cts x 12 Pieces + 0.04 Cts) Diamond Shape : Round Diamond Color Grade : F Diamond Clarity Grade : VS1 Sapphire Weight : Natural 7....
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Natural Sapphire Ring Size 7 14k Gold 4.5 Carats Certified
By Enrico Kassini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Natural Sapphire Ring Size 7 14k Gold 4.5 Carats Certified $5,950 604453 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry!
Sapphire, 14k Gold
Natural Sapphire Ring Size 7 14k Gold 2.8 Carats Certified
By Enrico Kassini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Natural Sapphire Ring Size 7 14k Gold 2.8 Carats Certified $5,950 604451 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry!
Sapphire, 14k Gold
Diamond Sapphire Earrings 18k White Gold 1.50 TCW Certified
By Enrico Kassini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Natural Finely Faceted Quality Sapphire Diamond Earrings 18k Gold 1.50 TCW Certified $2,950 921513 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry Nothing says, “I Love you...
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
1.60 Ct Sapphire Engagement Band Blue Sapphire Diamond Ring 14K Gold Channel Set
Located in Jaipur, IN
14K Yellow Gold Natural Blue Sapphire & Diamond Engagement Band – Wide Channel Set Sapphire Ring Make a sophisticated statement with this 14K yellow gold sapphire and diamond en...
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Natural Sapphire Ring Size 7 14k Yellow Gold 6.73 TCW Certified
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Natural Sapphire Ring Size 7 14k Yellow Gold 6.73 TCW Certified $7,950 601204 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry!
Sapphire, Yellow Gold
Natural Multicolor Sapphire Ring Size 6.5 14k Gold 1.08 TCW Certified
By Enrico Kassini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Natural Multicolor Sapphire Ring Size 6.5 14k Gold 1.08 TCW Certified $3,690 601233 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry!
Sapphire, 14k Gold
Natural Sapphire Ring 14k W Gold 5.76 TCW Certified
By Enrico Kassini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Natural Sapphire Ring Size 7 14k W Gold 5.76 TCW Certified $6,950 219078 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry Nothing says, “I Love you” more than Diamonds and P...
Sapphire, Gold
Diamond Purple Sapphire Ring 2 TCW 14k Gold Certified
By Enrico Kassini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Natural Finely Faceted Quality Sapphire Diamond Ring 1.99 TCW 14k Gold Women Certified $4,925 915192 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry Nothing says, “I Love y...
Purple Sapphire, Sapphire, Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
8.0 Ct Blue Sapphire Station Bracelet 14K Gold Sapphire Link Bracelet Unisex
Located in Jaipur, IN
This bracelet is a perfect blend of craftsmanship, simplicity, and luxury, highlighting the natural beauty of sapphires in a clean, designer station layout. Key Features * Metal: 14...
Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Natural Multicolor Sapphire Ring Size 6.5 14k Gold 1.05 TCW Certified 601232
By Enrico Kassini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Natural Multicolor Sapphire Ring Size 6.5 14k Gold 1.05 TCW Certified $3,690 601232 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry!
Sapphire, 14k Gold
Natural Sapphire Ring Size 7 14k White Gold 0.97 TCW Certified
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Natural Sapphire Ring Size 7 14k White Gold 0.97 TCW Certified $5,950 601231 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry!
Sapphire, White Gold
Natural Sapphire Ring Size 7 14k Yellow Gold 0.97 TCW Certified
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Natural Sapphire Ring Size 7 14k Yellow Gold 0.97 TCW Certified $5,950 601230 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry!
Sapphire, Yellow Gold
Diamond Sapphire Ring 6.5 18k Gold 2.62 TCW Women Certified
By Enrico Kassini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Natural Finely Faceted Quality Sapphire Diamond Ring 6.5 18k Gold 2.62 TCW Women Certified $5,000 219794 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry Nothing says, “I Lo...
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Natural Sapphire Diamond Ring Size 6.5 14k Gold 4.05 TCW Certified
By Enrico Kassini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Natural Sapphire Diamond Ring Size 6.5 14k Gold 4.05 TCW Certified $5,950 604446 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry!
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
Natural Sapphire Diamond Ring Size 6.5 14k Gold 2.53 TCW Certified
By Enrico Kassini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Natural Sapphire Diamond Ring Size 6.5 14k Gold 2.53 TCW Certified $3,950 310631 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry!
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
Natural White Sapphire Ring 14k W Gold 4.32 TCW Certified
By Enrico Kassini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Stone: Natural Finely Faceted Quality Sapphire Species & Variety: Corundum/Sapphire Stone Cut: Emerald Cut Stone Color: Colorless Transparency: Transparent Saturation: N/A Measur...
Sapphire, Gold
Diamond Blue Sapphire Ring 14k Gold Women 1.67 TCW Certified
By Enrico Kassini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Natural Finely Faceted Quality Sapphire Diamond Ring 14k Gold 1.67 TCW Women Certified $4,950 915310 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry!
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold
Sapphire Diamond Ring 14k Y Gold 12.05 TCW Certified
By Enrico Kassini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Composite Sapphire Diamond Ring Size 6.75 14k Y Gold 12.05 TCW Certified $3,000 216188 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry Nothing says, “I Love you” more than...
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold
Purple Sapphire Diamond Ring 18k Gold Women 1.72 TCW Certified
By Enrico Kassini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Natural Finely Faceted Quality Sapphire Diamond Ring 18k Gold Women 1.724 TCW Certified $3,950 913136 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry Nothing says, “I Love ...
Purple Sapphire, Sapphire, Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Diamond Sapphire Ring 14k White Gold 3.60tcw Women Certified
By Enrico Kassini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Natural Finely Faceted Quality Sapphire Diamond Ring 14k Gold 3.60 TCW Women Certified $3,700 911204 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry!
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
Natural Sapphire Ring 6.5 14k W Gold 1.09 Cts Certified
By Enrico Kassini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Natural Fine Quality Sapphire Ring 6.5 14k W Gold 1.09 Cts Certified $3,950 311007 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry!
Sapphire, Gold
Natural Sapphire Diamond Ring 14k Gold 3.43 TCW Certified
By Enrico Kassini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Natural Sapphire Diamond Ring Size 6.5 14k Gold 3.43 TCW Certified $7,950 215419 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry!
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
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.