How to Select a Yellow Sapphire Engagement Ring

Yellow sapphires vary from pale butter yellows to rich golden hues.

Couples who want a unique expression of their love in jewelry increasingly look beyond traditional diamonds. Colorful sapphires have a hardness second only to that of diamonds, but cost considerably less. Sapphire engagement rings have the durability to withstand the daily wear that engagement jewelry receives. While jewelers esteem blue sapphires over other colors, the corundum gems come in a variety of hues including sunny yellow.

Things You'll Need

• Polishing cloth
• Loupe or magnifying glass

Instructions

1. Decide on a budget. Although yellow sapphires cost less than blue sapphires or diamonds, a large high-quality stone in an unusual cut can cost thousands of dollars per carat. Larger stones cost more per carat due to the relative rarity of sizable natural gem-quality sapphires.

2. Pick a preferred shape for the central sapphire stone. Stone-cutters shape sapphires into all of the traditional gem shapes including round, oval, emerald cut, marquise, pear-shaped and heart-shaped. The simpler round and oval cuts typically cost less than more challenging shapes like hearts, cushions and triangular trilliants.

3. Choose a preferred color range. The costliest yellow sapphires have the deepest, richest tints, but paler sapphires exhibit more brilliance and typically cost less.

4. Examine the stones that meet the criteria for size, shape and color with unaided eyes. Eliminate any sapphires that have obvious chips or asymmetry along any axis.

5. Polish loose stones on all sides with a jeweler's cloth; clean a set stone's crown (the gem's upper surface) with the cloth. A quick polish removes dirt and oil that could obscure a clear view of the gem's heart.

6. Examine the gem with the jeweler's loupe or magnifying glass to spot any inclusions or internal fractures that could lower the sapphire's value or weaken the stone. Flawless stones cost more, but look brighter and have greater structural integrity.

7. Look at the sapphire's facet edges under magnification. Steer clear of stones with any visible chips or flaws at the points where facets meet.

8. Ask the jeweler or sales associate for more information about the chosen gem. Jewelry stores do carry synthetic sapphires and heat-treated gems, but must label these stones as altered or manufactured.

Tips & Warnings

• Heat-treating intensifies a sapphire's yellow hue, but otherwise leaves the stone unaffected; consider a heat-treated sapphire for a rich color at a lower price.

• Choose a white gold or platinum setting that showcases the gem's beautiful color with greater contrast.

• Try estate sales for unusual yellow sapphire jewelry.

• Designs that incorporate diamonds mix the tradition of diamond engagement jewelry with the novelty of yellow sapphire.

• If buying yellow sapphires from a vintage jewelry dealer or an estate sale, examine the stone closely; high-quality citrine quartz resembles yellow sapphire but this soft mineral exhibits less crisp faceting.

References

• International Colored Gemstone Association: Sapphire
• The Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom; The Precious Gemstone Sapphire; Hershel Friedman
• Ruby-Sapphire.com; Appendix B - Ruby and Sapphire Prices; Richard W. Hughes
• Gemology Online: Gemstone Treatments and Enhancements