04 Mar Sell Sapphire Jewelry in San Diego
At C. Blackburn Jewelers of La Jolla, you can sell a sapphire ring, earrings, necklace, or large carat loose sapphire. When selling your sapphire jewelry, you will be dealing directly with owner Carl Blackburn, a San Diego jewelry buyer with decades of experience buying and selling exceptional colored gemstones, in particular beautiful sapphires, which he sometimes uses in his work as a custom jewelry designer.
Get a complimentary cash appraisal of your sapphire jewelry by arranging a free consultation at our La Jolla jewelry store, which is less than a 20 minute drive from many San Diego communities. Send Carl a message via our contact form or call 858-251-3006. You can also visit our store to shop for vintage and antique sapphire jewelry.
How Much is My Sapphire Worth in San Diego?
A San Diego County jewelry buyer who purchases sapphire rings and other sapphire estate jewelry will examine the quality and rarity of the entire piece of jewelry, as well as the value of the sapphire(s). When it comes to evaluating how much a sapphire is worth, estate jewelers will examine the color, cut, clarity, and carat weight (much like they do with diamonds).
Here’s a breakdown of these 4 factors:
Sapphire Color: The most important factor when evaluating a sapphire is its color. The ideal color for a sapphire is a rich, velvety blue, but sapphires can also come in a range of other colors, including pink, yellow, orange, green, and purple. The color should be even throughout the stone, with no visible zoning or color banding.
Sapphire Clarity: The clarity of a sapphire refers to the absence of inclusions or other imperfections within the stone. A high-quality sapphire will have minimal inclusions, and any inclusions that are present should be difficult to see with the naked eye.
Sapphire Cut: The cut of a sapphire refers to its overall shape and how well it has been faceted. A well-cut sapphire will have a symmetrical shape, even facets, and excellent proportions that maximize its brilliance and sparkle.
Sapphire Carat weight: The size of a sapphire is measured in carats, with one carat equaling 0.2 grams. The value of a sapphire can increase significantly with size, but the other factors, especially color and clarity, are equally important.
In addition to the four Cs, it’s also important to consider the origin of the sapphire. Sapphires from certain locations, such as Kashmir, Burma, and Sri Lanka, are highly sought after and command premium prices due to their rarity and unique characteristics.
Overall, a high-quality sapphire will have a rich, even color, minimal inclusions, a well-cut shape, and a desirable origin. Contact C. Blackburn Jewelers now to sell sapphire jewelry for the highest possible price.
Careful Inspection
I recently sold a lot of fine jewelry that I had inherited from my mother. I chose C. Blackburn because I wanted the pieces to find new homes, rather than be melted down or taken apart. Carl careful inspected and considered each piece before pricing it. He explained the quality of the gold in each piece, the techniques used to craft the pieces, and what went into his pricing. He appreciated the sentimental value of the items and actually had buyers in mind for several of them. I felt that he gave me a fair price the first time I came in, so I returned with additional items to sell a few weeks later. I’d highly recommend C. Blackburn for selling and buying estate jewelry.
A Straight Shooter
I met with most of the Jewelers around La Jolla and no one was as knowledgeable or as helpful as Carl was to me. Carl Blackburn is a straight shooter and someone you can trust. C. Blackburn Jewelers will forever have my business and recommendation to all of my network for any future jewelry business.
Genuine & Friendly
Being at a downsizing stage of life, I decided to sell as much of my jewelry as possible, and luckily, I came across C. Blackburn Jewelers. I was scared of getting scammed and cheated. Carl had me sitting with him while he examined and evaluated my jewelry. He did not take it into a back room and tell me to return on another day.
He worked methodically and very professionally, answered all my questions, kept my expectations realistic, explained what he was doing as he worked. We also had a very pleasant conversation – he is down-to-earth, genuine, and friendly. I trusted him without hesitation. I was very pleasantly surprised by the outcome and felt I was very fairly treated. I was relieved that the process was stress-free, thanks to Carl’s very professional manner and his genuine friendliness. I recommend him highly, without reservation.
Wonderful!
We had a wonderful selling experience with Blackburn Jewelers. We had about 50 pieces of jewelry from our mom’s estate to sell, and owner, Carl Blackburn, was so amazing. He was professional, courteous, and informative. Many jewelry buyers will simply put all the jewelry on the scale, deduct out the approximate ‘gem’ weight, and offer the ‘melt’ value less their percentage. Carl took time examining each individual piece, and kept a notebook with the details and his offer price. He verbally detailed each piece letting us know exactly how he derived his offer price. He was very transparent and fair. At the end of the appointment, we left extremely satisfied with our sale, and very pleased with the overall experience. I highly recommend Blackburn Jewelers for all of your jewelry sale needs.
A History of Sapphire Jewelry Design
Sapphires have been prized for their beauty and durability for thousands of years and have a rich history in jewelry. Here’s a brief overview of the history of sapphires in jewelry:
Ancient civilizations: Sapphires were highly valued by ancient civilizations, including the Greeks and Romans, who believed that they had protective powers and could ward off harm. Sapphires were often incorporated into jewelry, including rings, bracelets, and necklaces.
Middle Ages: During the Middle Ages, sapphires were associated with the Catholic Church and were often used to decorate religious objects, such as chalices and reliquaries. Sapphires were also popular among royalty and were used to adorn crowns, scepters, and other regal objects.
Renaissance: In the Renaissance, sapphires continued to be a popular choice for royalty and aristocracy. They were often set in intricate gold or silver designs and paired with other precious gems, such as diamonds and rubies.
Victorian era: During the Victorian era, sapphires became more accessible to the middle class due to improved mining and cutting techniques. Sapphires were often used in engagement rings, and the popularity of the “halo” setting, in which a central stone is surrounded by smaller stones, made sapphires a popular choice for center stones.
Art Deco period: In the 1920s and 1930s, sapphires were popular in Art Deco jewelry, which featured geometric designs and bold colors. Sapphires were often paired with diamonds and other gems to create striking contrast.
C. Blackburn Jewelers of La Jolla specializes in the buying and selling of Art Deco sapphire jewelry. Owner Carl Blackburn has a deep knowledge of the Art Deco design period, often using the motifs of this period as inspiration for creating new jewelry designs, including custom engagement rings. He has also bought hundreds of pieces of Art Deco estate jewelry from his San Diego clients over the past decade.
If you would like sapphire jewelry designed or have sapphire estate jewelry to sell, send us a message below.
Text Message & Photos:
619-723-8589
Recent Estate Jewelry Buys
Browse a collection of C. Blackburn Jewelers’ recent purchases of vintage, antique, and estate jewelry.
Famous Pieces of Sapphire Jewelry
The Duchess of Cambridge’s Engagement Ring: The engagement ring that Prince William gave to Kate Middleton features a 12-carat oval blue sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds. The ring originally belonged to Princess Diana and has become an iconic piece of jewelry.
The Stuart Sapphire: The Stuart Sapphire is a large, oval-shaped sapphire that was once owned by King James II of England. It is now part of the British Crown Jewels and is set in the Imperial State Crown.
The Rockefeller Sapphire: The Rockefeller Sapphire is a 62.02-carat rectangular-cut sapphire that was once owned by the famous American family. It is set in a platinum ring and surrounded by diamonds.
The Logan Sapphire: The Logan Sapphire is a 423-carat sapphire that was originally found in Sri Lanka. It was donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 1960 and is now part of their collection.
The Star of India: The Star of India is a 563-carat star sapphire that is also part of the Smithsonian’s collection. It was originally discovered in Sri Lanka and is one of the largest star sapphires in the world.