From bright, beautiful and breezy, to explosive and fiery yellow gemstones are eye-catching and quite stunning. Most yellow gemstones range in colour from clear, cool pale yellow, bordering on green-yellow to warmer tones of golden or brown-yellow even to fiery orange.
Most yellow gemstones are quite hard gemstones (Citrine, for example, measures 7 on the Mohs scale) meaning it can withstand everyday wear very well, hence they make perfect gemstones for rings.
Some yellow gemstones are heat-treated to achieve their colour, although these may fade over periods of time, if exposed to strong light.
Metaphysical Meanings of the Yellow Gemstones
The yellow gemstones are earthy-toned, which had connections with the earth, harvest, success and replenshisment. Many of these gemstones were believed to be good for business success – indeed Citrine – like the gemstone used in this Welsh gold honey bee pendant below – was often known as the “merchants stone” and Fire Opal was said to bring more customers.
Warm-looking gemstones were, in ancient times, believed to carry the energy of the sun. Hence the yellow gemstones were thought of as being energising, reinvigorating. It was believed that yellow gemstones were good for new projects or pursuits, fresh beginnings.
Metaphysical Meanings of the Yellow Stones
If you believe in the metaphysical meanings of gemstones, the yellow stones correspond to the Solar Plexus and going towards the Sacral chakras. These areas represent your own personal power, your sovereignty, self-discovery – hence these gemstones are said to be good for introspection, interpersonal relationships and boundaries. The sacral chakra is connected to your creativity and money.
Citrine
Citrine is a transparent, glossy yellow type of quartz. Its name comes from the French “Citron” meaning ‘lemon’. When we think of citrine we think of beautiful, bright golden sunshine, warm days, happy days and basking in the sun.
The colour of citrine can range from a bright, cool-toned pale yellow to a honey-coloured browny-yellow. Some citrine gemstones today are heat-treated amethyst or smoky quartz – with the colour produce the desired colour, although natural citrine is pale yellow.
Citrine gets its colour from the tiny traces of iron within the quartz stone.
Citrine was called “the Merchant’s Stone” and was believed to help business and financial abundance. It is also said to be very good for interpersonal relations and family issues. The main keywords to think of with citron is abundance, joy, happiness.
Yellow Sapphire
Part of the corundum family, the same gemstone family as ruby and blue sapphire, yellow sapphire has its colour attributed to the degree of iron and titanium in the stone.
It is associated with prosperity and wealth as well as peace, much like Citrine.
It is available in a range of colour depths and tones but the most sought after yellow sapphires are known as Canary.
With a fabulous score of 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, yellow sapphires are extremely hard and perfect as an everyday piece of jewellery – only surpassed by diamond and moissanite.
Lemon Quartz
Very similar to citrine, it is only the colour which separates the two. Lemon quartz is heat-treated to achieve its colour whereas true citrine is naturally coloured.
Yellow Topaz
Topaz comes from the Sanskrit word for “fire” and the yellow topaz is no exception – it has a fiery, clear and sparkling, golden colour. The most coveted Topaz is the Imperial Topaz which is a wonderful orange colour.
Yellow topaz is the birthstone for November and in celebration of the 4th Wedding Anniversary.
The Eygptians believed yellow topaz to give them protection. The golden, yellow-brown gemstone
Amber
The beautiful amber, is fossilised tree resin, millions of years old and, as such, is not really a gemstone. Warm to the touch it is most open polished and shaped into cabouchons.
In Asia, amber was known as the Sould of the Tiger and was believed to give courage and strength. Its metaphysical properties was one of renewal and that of a good luck charm
Amber beads are popular now to give teething children to cut their teeth on.
Amber comes in the most beautiful colours of cognac, cream, or green. This beautiful stone can be opaque or transparent with flecks of organic material inside, even including ancient insects.
Yellow Tourmaline
With colours in a range between vibrant red and the rare parabia blue, the rarest color of tourmaline is a bright yellow called Canary Yellow, which is a quite unique yellow-green. The very best yellow tourmalines have a near-neon colour to them.
Yellow Jade
Jade, the lovely gemstone much favoured in China is normally thought of as a soft green colour. Yellow jade is not a true jade or jadite, but is an opaque creamy-yellow to orange-yellow colour.
Metaphysically it is believed to harbour peace and contentment, self-love and is useful in meditation.
Yellow Aventurine
Aventurine is a quartz stone that has sparkling small pieces of mica distributed throughout the stone, causing it to sparkle and glitter. Aventurine is often seen as a green gemstone, although yellow aventurine does exist like the earrings above.
As aventurine is a relatively soft stone, it is most often polished and shaped into cabochons or carved into objects, much like jade is.
Tiger’s Eye
This opaque gemstone is not really yellow but a golden brown colour, remisicent of, as the name implies, a Tiger’s Eye. Said to help pull people out of a lethargic slump and give them a boost and quiet, inner strength. Tiger’s Eye stone is mined in hot, dry arid places. It was considered so rare at one point in history that it was more valuable than gold.
Fire Opal
With a fiery colour of either yellow, orange or red, fire opal is a stunning gemstone. As we’ve described in our blog on opals, all precious opals enjoy a “play of colour”. Fire opals, sometimes called “Mexican Opals” enjoy a fiery colour with a background of red, orange or yellow whereas other precious opals have a base of cream and blues.
Mexican Fire Opals were formed from volanoes.
Said to bring success, many believed placing a fire opal in your business will increase the number of customers coming to your business.
To Sum Up…
There is a beautiful array of colours and tones within the “yellow” gemstones and these can suit cool or warm skin tones. There is something wonderfully unique about the yellow gemstones and, for those who don’t follow the crowd, a yellow gemstone may be a perfect choice.
