Sapphire and Diamond Brooch and Clip Earrings by Oscar Heyman & Brothers

A sapphire, diamond and platinum demi-parure by Oscar Heyman & Brothers, for Birks, comprising of a brooch of leaf design with fancy-cut coloured sapphires in hues of blue, pink, purple, peach and pale yellow and brilliant-cut diamond accents, surrounding a stem-shaped curved spine of tapered baguette-cut diamonds. With matching ear clips. Brooch and both ear clips stamped with maker’s mark for Oscar Heyman & Brothers and further signed Birks. 5cm and 2cm in length and 20.73g and 6.14g, respectively. Circa 1950.

Sapphires, like rubies, are a member of the corundum family and structurally almost identical. The difference between the two stones is the presence of chromium in rubies, which is what gives them their scarlet pigment. For this reason, the only colour a sapphire certainly cannot be is red. Together with rubies, sapphires are one of the hardest gemstones excluding diamonds. Iron and titanium are the principle chromophores that provide sapphires with their blue colour. Although, sapphires are usually desired for their famous blue tone, they are available in a diverse range of other colours, from pink to yellow to green. They have even been found in several shades at once, although such cases are rare. One coveted shade of sunset pink is known as the Padparadscha sapphire.

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