Blue Sapphire Pin
A blue sapphire pin brings together deep blue stones and precious metals, offering a classic piece of antique jewellery to wear every day.
What a blue sapphire pin is
A blue sapphire pin takes the form of a brooch, often presenting as a crescent or a cluster set with bright blue gems. These pieces appear across several eras, including the late Victorian period, the Edwardian era, and the 1920s.
The selection on this page shows brooches featuring sapphires alongside diamonds, pearls, silver, platinum, and 9ct yellow gold. Such items served as personal adornments for fastening garments or simply for decoration.
How they were made
Goldsmiths and jewellers utilised precious metals like platinum, silver, and 9ct yellow gold to construct the foundational settings for each brooch. Stones were carefully mounted into these metal frameworks by hand.
Makers incorporated brilliant blue sapphires alongside contrasting diamonds and pearls to build detailed patterns. The integration of different materials required precise metalwork and stone-setting techniques typical of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical UK retail prices for blue sapphire pin, calculated from the Sellingantiques database of over a million retail prices indexed since 2003. This retail price guide relies exclusively on Sellingantiques data; no external sources or auction records are used, so the figures do not describe the wider market.
The site's listings for this phrase span the late Victorian period, the Edwardian era, and the 1920s, featuring silver, gold, and platinum.
What varies in quality
The distinction between standard and exceptional pieces rests upon the quality and size of the central sapphire and accompanying diamonds. Heavier carat weights and finer metalwork elevate a brooch significantly.
Design complexity also defines the range, moving from simpler crescent forms to intricate Arts and Crafts creations by noted makers. The harmony between the choice of precious metal and the arrangement of the gems determines the overall success of the piece.
Rhoda Wager
The Blue Sapphire Pin Glossary
- Brooch
- An ornamental jewellery piece fitted with a pin stem and catch on the reverse to secure it to clothing.
- Crescent
- A curved, moon-shaped design motif frequently utilised in Edwardian jewellery arrangements.
- Platinum
- A dense, durable, and white precious metal favoured in fine Edwardian and twentieth-century settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a blue sapphire pin?
A blue sapphire pin is an antique brooch featuring blue sapphires set in gold, silver, or platinum. These items date from periods such as the Edwardian era and the late Victorian years.
They function primarily as decorative dress accessories, often incorporating diamonds or pearls alongside the central blue stones.
How do I wear a brooch?
A brooch fastens securely to garments using a pin and catch mechanism on the reverse. People typically pin them to lapels, collars, scarves, or hats.
Ensure the fabric is sturdy enough to support the weight of the metal and stone setting without sagging.
How do I identify an Edwardian brooch?
Edwardian brooches often utilise light, strong platinum settings combined with yellow gold and intricate openwork details. Gemstones like diamonds and pearls frequently accent the central blue sapphires.
Stylistic cues from this period lean towards delicate, airy designs rather than heavy Victorian ornamentation.
What metals are used in these pins?
The listings show pieces constructed from 9ct yellow gold, silver, and platinum. Different eras favoured distinct metal combinations for durability and colour contrast.
Silver and platinum offer a bright white background for diamonds, while gold provides a warmer tone.