09/27/2023
The birthstone of September, the sapphire, is often ranked among the world’s most valuable gems. But what determines this value?
Often, a gem’s worth comes down to the purity of its color, the symmetry of its cut, the extent of its clarity, and, of course, its weight. But when a gem goes to auction, particularly an older one, there’s another factor to consider—its story.
Whether the gem once belonged to an eminent royal or is shrouded in intrigue, a jewel with history has an aura all its own.1. Napoléon’s Engagement Ring for Joséphine
Though the ring is exquisite, it did not mark the start to an especially happy marriage. Though the smitten emperor is said to have spent a fortune on the ring, which snugly pairs a teardrop-shaped sapphire with a diamond, for his love Joséphine, their union quickly failed. Napoléon left to conquer Milan, and Joséphine, preferring to stay in Paris with her children from a previous marriage, engaged in an affair with Lt. Hippolyte Charles, rendering her husband aghast and resentful for years. The ring sold for $1.17 million (including buyer’s premium) at auction in France in 2013
Silent-movie star Mary Pickford was given this cabochon-cut sapphire, a large star sapphire, by her husband, Douglas Fairbanks. Upon her death in 1979, Pickford bequeathed it to the Smithsonian Institution. Edward G. Stotsenberg, president of the Mary Pickford Foundation, writing for the L.A. Times, said that he called someone at the institution who came to see it and reportedly said, “We want this sapphire. It is much brighter than our others—we will trade them off.” Also impressed, Bombay Sapphire, the popular gin, took its name from the famous gem.
The largest faceted blue sapphire in the world at 486 carats and reportedly measuring two and a half inches at the widest point, this aptly named “giant” seems as though it would be difficult to lose track of. After the gem was discovered in Sri Lanka in 1907, the ring was bought by an American collector and vanished completely from the public eye. It took nearly a century for it to resurface, at a 2004 Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction, where it became the largest faceted sapphire ever to be auctioned, only to be quickly claimed and hidden away once again.
Now on view with the other crown jewels in the Tower of London, the Stuart Sapphire has quite the uncertain past. Believed to have been originally owned by Charles II of England, the gem is thought to have made its way to Europe via James VII, where it stayed until 1807, when it was purchased by King George III and returned to the royal collection
It’s common knowledge that the Duchess of Cambridge’s stylish engagement ring formerly belonged to Princess Diana and that it was Prince William’s way of including his mother on his wedding day. But rumor has it that the ring was actually in Prince Harry’s possession first. Reportedly, following their mother’s tragic passing, both princes were encouraged to keep one item from her personal collection as a treasured memento. While Harry selected the sapphire engagement ring, William opted for a gold Cartier watch; later, when William expressed his intention to marry Kate, the brothers exchanged items.
Looking at these beautiful blue sapphires it is easy to understand why we think of blue as the color for a sapphire gemstone. These are but a few of the stunning examples of this magnificent gemstone.
