Sapphire Auctions
You can buy sapphires at sapphire auctions as well as general antique and estate auctions. It is easy to locate auctions using google.com and then typing in sapphire auctions. Probably eBay and www.bidz,com would be the most popular. Also look out for local auctions in your town or city. Scouring the newspapers can sometimes net you an auction at which sapphires are up for sale.
Jewelery and gem auctions are usually the best.
Some important points to remember when buying sapphires at auctions.
If you are buying from an auction where you can attend, you will likely need to register if you intend bidding. See if you can inspect the sapphires that will be auctioned. There should be a certificate to accompany the sapphire or sapphires or at least some information about them. Quite often these are antique sapphires and if so will be a good buy if the price is right. You do need to establish that they are true sapphires and not some other lesser quality stone or not even a gem at all.
Firstly it is a good idea to have some understanding of the value and worth of sapphires and also what your bid is going to be. This will depend on your budget and how much you want the sapphires of course.
When bidding it is better not to bid at all until the very last minute when all the bidding appears to be done. Provided the price is still within your budget you can then jump in with a bid and not start a bidding war (which only benefits the seller and the auction house).
Online auctions are different. You cannot see the sapphires but only a picture of them. It is difficult to asses the quality of a sapphire in this case and you would be more interest in seeing a certificate of authenticity which you could compare the sapphire with if you did bid and win the bid.
Ensure the auction house has provision for misrepresentation of product and a protection system for the buyer. You don’t want to bid and win an expensive sapphire to find when it arrives that you have just got at best a poor quality sapphire and at worse a worthless piece of glass.
Buying sapphires at sapphire auctions can be fun but remember, there is no substitute for doing your due diligence.