Yellow sapphire has a class of its own, making it one of the most sought-after sapphires among gemstone enthusiasts. But do you guys know about various types of yellow sapphire too? If the answer is no, then this blog is for you.
Vibrant and sparkly yellow sapphire reminds one about the brilliance of the sun and some about the pale fall leaves; hence many would like to capture its beauty in state-of-the-art jewelry pieces to feel the vibe. But have you evaluated the yellow sapphire stone’s quality?
Why do we need to do that? Aren’t all the yellow sapphire stones the same?
Well, not all yellow sapphire stones are the same as the market has its various types, and they also differ in multiple quality parameters, which influences their pricing in the end. Now, that rings a bell, right?
So, what are these types of yellow sapphires? What are the different quality parameters this stone needs to approve of? Time to know it all. So, let’s get started.
Yellow Sapphire Varieties: Everything You Need to Know
Being an informed buyer, the first thing you should be sure about is the nature of your stone, i.e., whether it is natural, lab-grown, or treated. All these factors significantly impact the quality and final bill you will pay for your gemstone. The same is applied to yellow sapphires.
Natural Yellow Sapphire
Many of the world’s top sapphire-producing regions also mine yellow sapphires, including Sri Lanka, Burma, Madagascar, etc. Artificial processes like heat treatment or chemical synthesis do not significantly enhance their appearance and attractiveness. Untreated or chemically unaltered natural yellow sapphires are far rarer and more expensive. You should know that an original stone is crucial to yield maximum yellow sapphire benefits.
Lab-Grown Yellow Sapphire
Lab-grown and natural yellow sapphires are nearly identical in terms of their atomic structure, chemical compositions, and physical characteristics. Using cutting-edge technology to mimic the mining operation’s origin process sets them apart.
The lab-created yellow sapphire is more reasonably priced than natural yellow sapphire without sacrificing quality and is more environmentally friendly because it is made in a lab.
Treated Yellow Sapphire
Treatments are now part and parcel of the gemstone business. Yellow sapphire stones are occasionally heated and chemically treated to increase the color intensity and gem clarity. The durability and lifetime of the yellow sapphire are unaffected by this method. Such gemstones comprise the vast majority of natural yellow sapphires available on the market.
The overall cost of gemstone jewelry is also significantly influenced by each of these classifications. Therefore, whichever choice you decide on, be sure to have a certificate to support its authenticity from a credible lab, which will help you determine the credible value of the stone.
Also See: Zodiac Birthstones Chart
Seven Types of Sapphire as per Their Play with Light
You will be amazed to know that experts have gone through various samples of yellow sapphire and their numerous reactions to the light. On that basis, they will be able to classify seven different types of yellow sapphire. Let’s know them one after another.
Type 1: Yellow Sapphire with Natural Light Stable Color Centre
This kind of yellow sapphire has a pale yellow to orange hue, with color popping out from a naturally stable color center. These kinds of yellow sapphires mainly come from Sri Lanka.
Type 2: Natural or Irradiation Produced Yellow Sapphire with Fading Color Center
This type of yellow sapphire is produced by irradiating colorless sapphire, ranging in color from mild orange to deep orange. The hue emanates from a center that is light and fading. The sapphire might have had color when mined, but color degraded when exposed to light. The color can be recovered with irradiation, but it will quickly fade once more when exposed to light again.
Type 3: Light Stable Yellow Sapphire
This yellow sapphire color palette ranges from pale yellow to orange. It contains iron, but the stone has not undergone a high-temperature process, and it typically comes from Australia, Thailand, or Tanzania. This stone’s color is stable to light.
Type 4: Light Stable Heated Yellow Sapphire
This stone is stable to light and exhibits a yellow to deep orange-brown color. The color is achieved by heating the paler iron material in the stone.
Type 5: Light Stable, Surface Diffused Additive Yellow Sapphire
This yellow sapphire has a yellow to deep orange-brown tint, and only the top layer of the stone contains iron and nickel impurities. To achieve the color, impurities are diffused at a high temperature. The color of the stone is stable to light.
Type 6: Stable to Light Synthetic Yellow Sapphire
It is a synthetic yellow sapphire with nickel or other added impurities and is sometimes subjected to heat treatments.
Type 7: Synthetic and Irradiated Yellow Sapphire
It is a synthetic yellow sapphire with colors induced by irradiation, and it gets colorless to fade in the presence of light.
Also See: All Types of Gemstones
Types of Yellow Sapphire: Based on their Origin
Where you procure your gemstone also affects its overall pricing. So, here is the guide for yellow sapphire.
Sri Lankan Sapphire
Today, Ceylon, also known as Sri Lanka, is renowned for producing some of the world’s greatest sapphires. Today, yellow sapphire is the second most found sapphire in Sri Lanka; that is also in abundance. The color ranges from bright lemon to pale yellow to golden yellow.
Thailand Yellow Sapphire
The Bangkok yellow sapphire, also known as the Thailand yellow sapphire, has a popular light-yellow hue and is commercially mined in the Kanchanaburi region of Thailand.
Burma/Myanmar Yellow Sapphire
This natural yellow sapphire from Burma is a yellowish-green gemstone. It has good clarity and is graded as transparent.
Sri Lanka is the only country that supplies high-quality yellow sapphires. Some yellow sapphires are produced in other nations, including Australia, Thailand, and Burma; however, they typically have strong secondary color tones. Although in modest amounts, Madagascar has been generating some high-quality stones. Now, you know what you should ask for.
Also See: Rare Gemstones List
Types of Yellow Sapphire: The Role of Cut, Clarity, Carat, and Color (Quality Parameters)
There’s absolutely no denying that yellow sapphires have taken the lead since they are more cost-effective than yellow diamonds and offer a more comprehensive range of colors and shapes. So, suppose you’re considering taking the “yellow brick road” to find the ideal yellow sapphire ring. In that case, you should check it against the well-known quality parameters, including cut, color, clarity, and carat.
The Role of Color in Yellow Sapphire Varieties
You should always select a stone with a hue that both you and your partner find appealing. Yellow sapphire has a wide range of color options, much like every other colored stone in the yellow gemstones list, which varies from a bright orangey-yellow or golden yellow to a natural pastel light yellow and lemon yellow; all are stunning.
The most desired yellow, though, is a medium vivid canary. The yellow sapphire’s value increases with the brightness and purity of the yellow color.
One of the things you need to understand is that iron is one of the primary sources of the yellow hue in sapphires. Science is simple, the larger the concentration level of iron, the richer the yellow tint, and vice versa.
Apart from being artificially irradiated in a lab, low-level radiation from within the earth can also naturally enhance the hue of yellow sapphires. Although irradiated yellow sapphires are not harmful, it has been shown that their color can deteriorate when exposed to heat and light.
What Impact Does Cut Have on the Color of Yellow Sapphire?
The cut primarily determines how sparkly your sapphire will be, and poor cuts make something appear lifeless and dreary. The term “cut” doesn’t refer to the shape of the stone but rather to the facets on the gem’s surface that maximize the reflection of color and light.
Yellow sapphires usually contain fewer inclusions and are subject to stricter clarity requirements than other famous colored sapphires. Because inclusions are not well hidden by the medium tone at which the color is at its brightest, yellow sapphire’s relative clarity is highly advantageous.
These stones naturally include feather-like inclusions and are relatively simple to cut around; they are not noticeable to the unaided eye.
How Does Clarity Impact Yellow Sapphire?
A sapphire without any inclusions is frequently regarded with skepticism since it could be an artificial stone or a fake imitation of glass.
The highest clarity rating for yellow sapphires denotes it as “eye-clean” or perfectly clear to the unaided eye. The subsequent two grades, VVS (Very, Very Slightly Included) and VS (Very Slightly Included), identify minor inclusions that do not significantly minimize the sapphire’s appearance.
Yellow Sapphire as Per Carat Weight
Under 1 carat, light yellow stones are relatively abundant and reasonably priced. Even in a 1-carat size, consistently producing pleasing, vivid color saturation can be challenging.
Also See: Top 10 Most Popular Gemstones
How Do You Like Reading About Yellow Sapphire?
Nothing is quite as beautiful and upbeat as various types of yellow sapphire. They are becoming more and more popular due to their brilliant, apparent brightness and benefits in astrology, where good luck and positive energy are said to emanate from every cut of the stone.
Read also how to take care of Yellow Sapphire bracelets and how to clean Yellow Sapphire bracelets to further enhance your knowledge base about this stunning gemstone.
FAQs
They are not. Citrines are a member of the quartz family, whereas yellow sapphires are a kind of corundum.
Yellow sapphires must be nearly eye-flawless. The minimum good-quality clarity is VS1 (very slight inclusions under magnification). There should be no cracks and milkiness. However, Light “feathers” are not only acceptable but also advantageous.
Yes, all fancy sapphires are regarded as “precious,” including yellow sapphires.
