Sapphires are associated with being blue, however they can occur in a whole spectrum of colours. Arguably the second most popular colour of sapphire is yellow. Yellow sapphires are coloured by the trace element iron within the crystal structure. The colour of these gorgeous gemstones can vary, from a pale pastel yellow, to lemon yellow, to a vivid orangish yellow.
Yellow sapphires are very popular choices for engagement rings. A cost effective alternative to a yellow diamond, a yellow sapphire offers a good saturation of colour, in good sizes. Sapphire is also a 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness, so is a good choice for an everyday ring as it is relatively scratch resistant compared to other coloured gemstones.
Deposits of yellow sapphires have been found in Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Madagascar, Thailand and Australia.
