Yellow Sapphire Jewellery: A Guide to the Stone, Colour & Care

Yellow sapphire is one of the warmest coloured stones in fine jewellery, running from soft lemon to deep gold. Caleums sets natural yellow sapphires in 18K gold, made to order in Dubai. Here is what to look for.

What yellow sapphire is

Sapphire is corundum, the same mineral as ruby, and it is one of the hardest gemstones after diamond. That hardness is why it wears well every day. The yellow comes from trace elements in the stone, and the range of colour is wide, so two yellow sapphires can look quite different.

Colour and quality

With yellow sapphire, colour drives value more than anything. A clean, even, saturated yellow is the most sought after. Lighter stones read bright and fresh; deeper stones read rich and gold. None is better in the abstract; it comes down to the look you want and how it sits against your skin.

Heated or unheated

Most sapphires on the market are heat-treated to improve colour. An unheated stone, coloured entirely by nature, is rarer and prized for it. The pieces in our collection use natural, unheated yellow sapphires, which we note on each design.

Setting it

Yellow sapphire looks especially warm in yellow gold, which echoes the stone, and striking in white gold, which sets it off by contrast. A surround of small white diamonds is a classic way to frame it and add light.

Caring for it

Sapphire is tough, but any set stone deserves care. Keep it away from hard knocks and harsh chemicals, wipe it with a soft cloth, and have the setting checked now and then.

Explore the Rings collection, or get in touch to set a yellow sapphire of your own.