25% off $99 plus Free Shipping on orders $99 or more!* Use code CDFY Expires 05/19/13 Learn More>

Art Room Aid - Fund an Art Project - Learn More

Browse more:

Robert Simmons Long Handle Sapphire Brushes

Photos

Reviews

Videos

If you value the good pointing, color handling, spring, and smooth application of natural sable with the durability and value of synthetic brushes, the Sapphire line is for you.

Handmade of the finest red Kolinsky hair and synthetic filaments, Sapphire brushes can be used with all media. They feature kiln-dried beechwood handles and precision engineered 22K gold-plated ferrules.

Use the long handled brushes for easel work.

Sapphire Pack Z — This set, designed for easel painting in oils and acrylics, contains three long handle brushes: Bright #8, Round #6, and Filbert #6.

Note — Brush sizes are not standardized. The length and width of a brush of a given shape and size varies considerably by manufacturer. Since fine art brushes are handmade, expect some variation even among brushes from a given manufacturer.

see also ...

® Robert Simmons is a registered trademark of ® Daler-Rowney.

Long Handle Sapphire Brushes

(enlarge)

Hint — click a thumbnail to enlarge.

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

Robert Simmons Short Handle Sapphire Round Series S85

3.9

(based on 8 reviews)

63%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Reviewed by 8 customers

Sort by

Displaying reviews 1-8

9/26/2012

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

3.0

Reasonable value, performance OK

By Dog Artist

from Castleton, VA

Pros

Cons

Best Uses

Comments about Robert Simmons Short Handle Sapphire Brushes:

I started watercolor painting with these brushes. They seem to be well made; mine held up well and I experienced no cracking/peeling of the handle's paint but then I am very careful with my brushes (don't leave them sitting in water, don't store them point up when wet).

While the feel, spring, and paint holding capacity are okay, none of the rounds I purchased in this line ever came to a super-sharp point. They all come to a sort of rounded point. It takes a very delicate touch to get a very fine line from my #8 or #12. I certainly would not compare them to sable. They have a much stiffer feel, but not as stiff as most synthetics.

I cannot recommend them over sable but these brushes are a decent compromise for those on a budget.

2/4/2012

5.0

Excellent watercolor brushes

By Chez

from Baltimore, MD

Pros

Cons

Best Uses

Comments about Robert Simmons Short Handle Sapphire Brushes:

The Simmons brushes are excellent for your watercolor paintings. They are top quality, no loose bristles, easy to clean, the handles don't chip or split, and the bristles come to a nice point. The prices are very good and my particular order arrived in just a few days.
I have had some of my original Simmons brushes from my art school days some 40 years ago, so I highly recommend them.

10/26/2011

1.0

Bad Brush

By Belle-Lady

from Columbia, Mo

Pros

Cons

Best Uses

Comments about Robert Simmons Short Handle Sapphire Round Series S85:

I had the same problem with this brush as a previous reviewer.
The paint flaked off the handle and the brush came apart.

8/30/2011

(1 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

2.0

Robert Simmons Sapphire bad construction

By Gary

from Windsor, CO.

Pros

Cons

Best Uses

Comments about Robert Simmons Sapphire Brush Packs:

I bought several Robert Simmons Sapphire brushes after my watercolor teacher said she used and like them. I did not have a problem with the brush and how it works to paint but the handles are terrible. With normal use the blue paint breaks off and the brush head comes loose from the metal to the point where the brush is unusable. This happened to all the RS brushes I purchased. A very poorly constructed brush. I would not recommend it to anyone.

7/19/2011

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Excellent Brushes

By Landscape Artist

from Edmond, OK

Pros

Cons

Best Uses

Comments about Robert Simmons Short Handle Sapphire Round Series S85:

These brushes are excellent. I don't like them for watercolor but for oil painting they are just awesome. They hold a sharp chiseled edge and are excellent for creating expressive brush work. I have been looking for a brush that is reasonable in cost and that creates sharp edges. I like this over pure sable because they hold a sharper edge

12/21/2010

(7 of 7 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Perfect! It was exactly what I needed.

By Cloudman

from CA/Az

Pros

Cons

Best Uses

Comments about Robert Simmons Short Handle Sapphire Round Series S85:

I paint as a realist in oils. Most of the work is fine detail so this brush is perfect in holding its point.
Without realizing it, most of my brushes are "Robert Simmons"
They do what one needs a brush to do. I will be back for more.

2/25/2010

(6 of 6 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Favorite brush

By Nurbman

from northern vermont

Pros

Cons

Best Uses

Comments about Robert Simmons Short Handle Sapphire Round Series S85:

After trying many this is my all time favorite

11/30/2009

(16 of 16 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Get What You Pay For

By Gary

from Lake Meade (East Berlin, PA)

Pros

Cons

Best Uses

Comments about Robert Simmons Short Handle Sapphire Brushes:

When I started watercolor lessons my instructor failed to stress the importance of quality brushes thus I ended up with student grade brushes and poor results. I could not achieve the same results as the instructor nor as the artist on Art Accademy Live. Finally a clerk at Blicks suggested Simmons Saphire Brushes. I wished that I had invested in Simmons to start with. I get much better results & I master techniques faster. The brushes are easy to maintain and have a lifetime warranty, I love them!

Displaying reviews 1-8

Purchase Items

SAVE 49 - 55% off List!

Item	Series	Brush	Style	Width	Length		Price Prices, promotions, and availability may vary by store, catalog, and online.	Qty
06770-2039		Sapphire Pack Z	Long Handle			List $25.35	$11.38
05802-3101	S61L	Round, Size 1	Long Handle	2 mm	8 mm	List $6.49	$3.24
05802-3102	S61L	Round, Size 2	Long Handle	2 mm	11 mm	List $7.45	$3.72
05802-3104	S61L	Round, Size 4	Long Handle	3 mm	12 mm	List $7.95	$3.98
05802-3106	S61L	Round, Size 6	Long Handle	3 mm	13 mm	List $9.55	$4.78
05802-3108	S61L	Round, Size 8	Long Handle	4 mm	15 mm	List $10.45	$5.23
05802-3110	S61L	Round, Size 10	Long Handle	4 mm	18 mm	List $12.15	$6.08
05802-3112	S61L	Round, Size 12	Long Handle	5 mm	21 mm	List $14.35	$7.18
05802-3114	S61L	Round, Size 14	Long Handle	6 mm	21 mm	List $17.49	$8.75
05802-3116	S61L	Round, Size 16	Long Handle	6 mm	25 mm	List $19.25	$9.63
05802-3118	S61L	Round, Size 18	Long Handle	7 mm	29 mm	List $24.49	$12.26
05802-2102	S67L	Filbert, Size 2	Long Handle	3 mm	4 mm	List $11.29	$5.64
05802-2104	S67L	Filbert, Size 4	Long Handle	5 mm	8 mm	List $13.39	$6.70
05802-2106	S67L	Filbert, Size 6	Long Handle	6 mm	14 mm	List $17.59	$8.80
05802-2108	S67L	Filbert, Size 8	Long Handle	8 mm	15 mm	List $18.95	$9.48
05802-2110	S67L	Filbert, Size 10	Long Handle	9 mm	16 mm	List $21.09	$10.55
05802-2112	S67L	Filbert, Size 12	Long Handle	11 mm	21 mm	List $23.15	$11.58
05802-1101	S60L	Bright, Size 1	Long Handle	2 mm	8 mm	List $7.75	$3.87
05802-1002	S60L	Bright, Size 2	Long Handle	3 mm	10 mm	List $8.89	$4.44
05802-1004	S60L	Bright, Size 4	Long Handle	4 mm	11 mm	List $9.75	$4.87
05802-1006	S60L	Bright, Size 6	Long Handle	6 mm	13 mm	List $11.55	$5.77
05802-1008	S60L	Bright, Size 8	Long Handle	8 mm	14 mm	List $13.95	$6.97
05802-1010	S60L	Bright, Size 10	Long Handle	10 mm	17 mm	List $15.89	$7.94
05802-1012	S60L	Bright, Size 12	Long Handle	11 mm	18 mm	List $18.19	$9.09
05802-1014	S60L	Bright, Size 14	Long Handle	13 mm	19 mm	List $20.29	$10.14
05802-1016	S60L	Bright, Size 16	Long Handle	16 mm	21 mm	List $26.09	$13.04
05802-1018	S60L	Bright, Size 18	Long Handle	19 mm	22 mm	List $30.35	$15.17
05802-1102	S48L	Fan, Size 2	Long Handle	38 mm	23 mm	List $19.15	$9.57
05802-1104	S48L	Fan, Size 4	Long Handle	51 mm	30 mm	List $21.99	$10.99