When you think September you think of sapphire. Sapphire is the birthstone for those born in September. Traditionally the word sapphire has become somewhat synonymous to the royal blue color. However, a new trend has emerged in the last few years, witnessing a rise in the popularity of yellow sapphire. So, if you are planning on buying a sapphire ring for yourself or for your loved ones, then why not consider this bright and shiny gemstone!
Astrological Significance
Yellow sapphire is believed to have a direct impact on your success and wealth. In astrology, yellow sapphire represents the planet Jupiter in the horoscope of a native. One of the most benevolent planets, Jupiter is also considered the lord of wisdom. A person wearing a yellow sapphire ring can energize the powers of Jupiter within oneself to create avenues for business and success.
Size
If you’re buying a yellow sapphire ring for aesthetic value, then perhaps it is best to keep the wearer in mind. A person with large hands and fingers will probably require a bigger stone to match the personality as compared to someone who is petite in appearance. But if you’re buying it from an astrological perspective, then you should know that the bigger the stone in your ring is, the stronger and quicker its effects will be.
Color
Yellow sapphires come in a brilliant range of colors from Golden Canary Yellow to the sublime Butter Yellow. The brighter a yellow sapphire shines, the more profound the effects on its wearer are said to be. Since color is the most important factor determining the price of a yellow sapphire, the value of a sapphire increases with the increase in the color saturation. Your yellow sapphire ring can, therefore, be a good investment for the future.
Clarity & Transparency
Clarity depends on the presence or absence of impurities in the gemstone. Transparency, on the other hand, means how clearly you can see through a stone. A blue sapphire can have the color saturation to the point of it being opaque whereas a yellow sapphire can possibly not reach that opacity. If there are no inclusions (i.e. impurities) visible to the naked eye, then the stone is more valuable. There are various clarity gradings for a yellow sapphire, from ‘100% eye clean’ to ‘included’ which you can find here. GemsNY recommends ‘eye clean’ or ‘very slightly included’ yellow sapphire for your special sapphire ring.
Cut & Shape
Cut means the facets and shape refers to the final appearance of the gemstone after getting faceted. Together they are important because they give a stone its unique sparkle. Light reflects and diffuses differently in different types of cuts & shapes making each sapphire unique. The most popular cutting styles are brilliant, step and mixed. There are various types of shapes in which your yellow sapphire comes such as princess, marquise, pear, heart etc. Pick one to make your magnificent yellow sapphire ring that suits your style.
Carat Weight
One carat equals 0.2 grams. A deep cut gemstone will appear smaller as compared to a similar weight stone cut shallower. A yellow sapphire with less depth can give an impression of being bigger than a gem with higher weight. Therefore, it is important to consider the type of cut along with the carat weight of a yellow sapphire before you decide on any ring setting for it.
Treated or Untreated
The color of a yellow sapphire depends on the presence of iron. Higher concentration of iron yields richer color. This color can be enhanced through irradiation or heat treatment but this may very gradually fade away with time. Ask your jeweler whether the yellow sapphire in your ring is a treated stone or an untreated one. Jewelers of repute always disclose this fact.
Price
Price of a yellow sapphire depends on 4 Cs – color, clarity, cut and carat weight – and its treatment. Color is the most determining factor of price for a yellow sapphire. Always remember that the price of a yellow sapphire is not a linear function of its carat weight. The more the weight is, the higher the price per carat will be.
Budget
All other factors are fine but the budget is one thing that can be a limiting factor. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have an unlimited budget, so it’s better to work our way backwards. In a given budget you can only reach a size if you want a certain color and clarity. Likewise, with a given budget you can achieve a certain degree of color and clarity if you choose size beforehand. Which way are you going to take to finalize your yellow sapphire ring?
Natural or Artificial
A natural sapphire is made of the mineral corundum. Scientists have been using corundum for a long time to synthesize sapphires in the laboratory. However, those sapphires have certain characteristics which are not present in the earth mined sapphires. Also, sometimes materials other than corundum are used to create something similar to sapphire. These stones are not gemstones in true sense but made out of some other materials mimicking certain optical properties of gemstones. If you want to purchase a natural earth mined yellow sapphire for your precious sapphire ring, there are trusted jewelers such as GemsNY which deal only in earth mined gemstones.
Origin
Yellow sapphires are mined in Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Tanzania, Thailand, Australia and many other places around the world. For a normal buyer, the quality of a sapphire should be the prime criteria rather than origin. Origin matters in case of substantially large sized sapphires, more than 3-4 cts. Generally speaking yellow sapphires from Sri Lanka command the most value.
Gem Therapy
Apart from astrological significance, yellow sapphires are also regarded very highly in some cultures and are used to treat various ailments as part of gem therapy. The effect of traditional and modern medication is believed to increase if you wear a yellow sapphire ring or pendant. It is generally used to bring health/curative benefits related to the abdominal section of the body particularly related to gallbladder, kidney, liver, spleen and stomach.
Suitable Metal
There is no metal which is unsuitable for yellow sapphire; it is so versatile. People in the Middle East wear it in classic gold whereas those in the west prefer to wear it in rose gold or white gold. Nowadays the trend to use a yellow sapphire as the center stone in platinum bands is also picking up.
Certification
There are many independent agencies that certify natural gemstones. Always insist on a certificate of authenticity for your yellow sapphire whether you buy a sapphire ring or a sapphire pendant. At GemsNY, you can find all the certificates online.
Care
Yellow sapphire is a pretty hard gemstone soring a 9/10 on Mohs scale of hardness, so you don’t need to worry much about them though you must store your yellow sapphire ring or other jewelry away from diamond jewelry because diamonds are harder, they may scratch your sapphire. Also, you can clean your sapphire ring periodically with a mild soap solution.
The brightness of yellow sapphires is sometimes said to resemble that of the sun. What do you think? Do let us know your views through Facebook and Instagram. Follow us on Instagram to win real certified gemstones in our monthly sweepstakes.
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