Famous Sapphire Jewelry Through History
Sapphires have captivated royalty, collectors, and lovers for centuries — prized for their deep blue hue (though they occur in nearly every colour but red) and associated with wisdom, loyalty, and nobility. Here's a look at some of the most legendary sapphire pieces in history.
The Stuart Sapphire
Part of Britain's Royal Crown Jewels, the Stuart Sapphire has a lineage stretching back to the House of Stuart. Robert II of the House of Stuart originally acquired the gemstone in the 14th century. The cabochon-cut stone, weighing 104 carats, was later set into the band of the Imperial State Crown. Its position within the crown has shifted over the centuries — it once sat at the front before making way for the Cullinan II diamond — and today it can be seen mounted toward the back.
The Logan Sapphire
One of the largest faceted blue sapphires in the world, the 423-carat Logan Sapphire, roughly the size of an egg, is the world's largest faceted blue sapphire. The Smithsonian received the gem in December 1960 as a gift from Rebecca Pollard Guggenheim, who had received it as a Christmas or anniversary present in late 1952 or early 1953 from her then-husband, Colonel M. Robert Guggenheim. She kept the piece until April 1971, by which time she had remarried John A. Logan — giving the stone its name. It's now displayed in a brooch ringed by diamonds at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.
The Star of India
Discovered in Sri Lanka, this grey-blue star sapphire weighs 563.35 carats and is almost flawless — unusually, it displays a visible "star" on both sides. Financier J.P. Morgan commissioned gem expert George Kunz to assemble an impressive gem collection ahead of the 1900 Paris Exposition, and the Star of India was among the standout finds, though its history before that point remains a mystery. After the exhibition, Morgan donated it to the American Museum of Natural History, where — famously — it was stolen in a 1964 heist and later recovered in a bus station locker in Miami.
Princess Diana's Sapphire Engagement Ring
Perhaps the most recognisable sapphire in modern history, this 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds was chosen by Diana Spencer from a jeweller's catalogue in 1981 for her engagement to Prince Charles. The ring became a symbol of the era — and gained a second life in 2010 when Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with his late mother's ring, making it once again one of the most photographed pieces of jewellery in the world.
The Rockefeller Sapphire
This 62.02-carat gemstone belonged to John D. Rockefeller Jr., heir to the Rockefeller fortune. It's said to have been acquired from Indian Maharaja Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad, in 1934. Internally flawless with a deep cornflower-blue colour, it was later recut by Harry Winston to enhance its brilliance and has changed hands among private collectors ever since, selling at auction for record sums.
The Star of Bombay
Originating in Sri Lanka and violet-blue in colour, this sapphire was a gift from silent-film star Douglas Fairbanks to his wife, actress Mary Pickford. Pickford adored the ring and wore it extensively during her lifetime; upon her death in 1979, she bequeathed the Star of Bombay to the Smithsonian, where it remains on display.
This 478.68-carat cushion-cut, cornflower-blue sapphire was Cartier's prize piece at the 1919 Autumn Exhibition in San Sebastián, Spain, admired by royalty across Europe. Prince Ferdinand bought the sapphire pendant for his mother, Queen Marie of Romania, who wore it to his coronation in 1922. It later resurfaced at auction, selling at Christie's in 2003 for nearly $1.5 million.
The Bismarck Sapphire Necklace
A 98.56-carat cornflower-blue sapphire mined in Burma, this stone was purchased in 1926 by American tycoon Harrison Williams for Countess Mona von Bismarck during their honeymoon. It now resides alongside the Logan Sapphire at the Smithsonian.
Together, these stones trace a story that runs from medieval royal treasuries through Gilded Age fortunes to modern royal romance — proof that few gems have captured imaginations quite like the sapphire.