"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. Long handles are recommended for easel style painting, while short handles are recommended for table-top painting where the artwork lies flat, especially with water media. Sapphire is available in a variety of classic brush shapes with both long and short handles." -Blick