The Sapphire mutation appeared in the UK in the 1980s. The Sapphire Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster is a soft purple-grey over the top of the body with the roots of the hairs being mid-grey. Along the spine is a thick soft mid-grey dorsal stripe which tends to be slightly wider between the shoulders. The belly is white in colour with light grey roots and the white extends up the sides and three arches are present along each side between the belly colour and the colour over the back. These arches, particularly the arch nearest the head, are defined by a concentration of darker purple-grey hairs. Within the actual white arches there are also usually some purple-grey hairs. The eyes are black and the ears are dark grey.

The Sapphire colouring can be combined with the pattern mutations to produce variations such as Sapphire Pearl and Sapphire Imperial.