Yellow Sapphire Ceylon 20 Carats
Vintage 1930s Sri Lankan Art Deco Pendant Necklaces
Yellow Sapphire, Sapphire, Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Contemporary Stud Earrings
Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Contemporary Band Rings
Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s British Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Sri Lankan Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Pink Sapphire, Ruby, Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Contemporary Stud Earrings
Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Contemporary Stud Earrings
Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Onyx, Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Contemporary Band Rings
Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Australian Contemporary Band Rings
Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Contemporary Stud Earrings
Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Cluster Rings
Sapphire, Diamond, Yellow Gold, White Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Art Deco Engagement Rings
Sapphire, Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Cluster Rings
Sapphire, Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
Vintage 1980s Cluster Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Retro Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century French Art Deco Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century Victorian Link Bracelets
Sapphire, 15k Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Cluster Rings
Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Art Deco Bangles
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
2010s American Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Cocktail Rings
Tsavorite, Sapphire, Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s French Modernist Cocktail Rings
Blue Sapphire, White Diamond, Sapphire, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, ...
Recent Sales
Late 20th Century American Modern Cufflinks
Star Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
2010s American Modern Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Contemporary Cluster Rings
Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, Sapphire, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Oceanic Contemporary Stud Earrings
Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Contemporary Stud Earrings
Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Contemporary More Necklaces
Sapphire, Diamond, Yellow Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Contemporary Cluster Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
Antique 19th Century Unknown Victorian Three-Stone Rings
Sapphire, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Cluster Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Cluster Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Band Rings
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, White Diamond, Yellow Gold, Gold, 14k Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Solitaire Rings
Sapphire, Star Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s French Cluster Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century British Early Victorian Signet Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Contemporary Cluster Rings
Sapphire, Diamond, Yellow Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Cluster Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Cluster Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Australian Contemporary Band Rings
Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Three-Stone Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 9k Gold, Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Engagement Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Yellow Gold, Gold, 14k Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Cluster Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Contemporary Engagement Rings
Emerald, Opal, Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Cluster Rings
Moonstone, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Cluster Rings
Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow ...
Antique 18th Century Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Fashion Rings
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Platinum, 18k Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Three-Stone Rings
Sapphire, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s French Modern Bangles
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Y...
Mid-20th Century French Retro Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Ye...
1990s American Modern Brooches
Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, Ruby, Multi-gemstone, Diam...
20th Century Unknown Modern Engagement Rings
Sapphire, Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Yellow Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Band Rings
Sapphire, Diamond, White Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
Vintage 1960s Italian Retro Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Three-Stone Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, White Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s Italian Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Mid-20th Century Italian Modern Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold
20th Century American Artist Solitaire Rings
Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Belgian Artisan Modern Bracelets
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold
Vintage 1960s Modernist Pendant Necklaces
Sapphire, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
Early 2000s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1910s German Edwardian Cluster Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
Antique 1780s Georgian Solitaire Rings
Sapphire, Diamond, 18k Gold, Silver
People Also Browsed
Late 20th Century Brazilian Artisan Cocktail Rings
Tourmaline, Rubelite, Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s Bangles
Yellow Diamond, Emerald, Onyx, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century French Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Bridal Rings
Garnet, 14k Gold
2010s Australian Artist Engagement Rings
Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Band Rings
Emerald, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century North American Solitaire Rings
Diamond, Platinum
2010s Australian Artist Engagement Rings
Kunzite, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Late 20th Century Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Purple Sapphire, Sapphire, Diamond, Platinum, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century American Contemporary Cluster Rings
Diamond, Tourmaline, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Fashion Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1950s American Engagement Rings
White Diamond, Platinum, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Choker Necklaces
Diamond, White Gold
1990s Italian Choker Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Pink Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Platinum
Yellow Sapphire Ceylon 20 Carats For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Yellow Sapphire Ceylon 20 Carats?
Why Gold Shines in Jewelry Craftsmanship
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.
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.