Yellow Sapphire vs Yellow Diamond for Engagement Ring
Hi Danny, as you could probably guess, I’m in the market for an engagement ring. My girlfriend’s favorite color is yellow, and thus our diamond search has focused on fancy yellow colored diamonds, like this 2.09 carat, VS-2 clarity, fancy yellow cushion cut diamond from Brian Gavin. Over the weekend, I noticed that my girlfriend seemed particularly interested in the details of Jenny McCarthy’s yellow sapphire and diamond engagement ring, it was pretty much all she and her girlfriends seemed to talk about.
One thing that came up in conversation was whether a yellow sapphire was going to give off the same light performance and sparkle of a yellow diamond, because we really want the center stone to sparkle! I’m trying to choose the best option, not the least expensive, so I’m open to either a yellow sapphire or yellow diamond, please help me decide which is going to exhibit the best sparkle and light return. Thanks in advance. – Devin J.
Do Yellow Sapphires look like Yellow Diamonds?
Like diamonds, sapphires are available in a variety of colors, including white, yellow, pink, and blue, but that is where the similarity between the two types of gemstones ends. Due to a difference in the crystal structure of diamond and sapphire, they exhibit completely different optics, and this is why white sapphires make horrible alternatives to diamonds for engagement rings.
There is nothing wrong with choosing a yellow sapphire as the center stone for an engagement ring, I think that they are beautiful in their own right, but they don’t look anything like diamond because they lack the luster and shine that diamonds provide.
Yellow sapphires do make very pretty center stones however, and they cost significantly less than yellow diamonds of the same size and similar intensity of color, therefore they are quite popular with people who aren’t so concerned about the sparkle or shine exhibited by a diamond.
However people need to be extremely careful when purchasing yellow sapphires for engagement rings, and learn as much as possible about the origin of the gemstone, and determine whether the color is of natural origin, or whether the sapphire has been heated or irradiated to enhance the color.
Can the color of Yellow Sapphires fade with time?
An article published by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) titled “The Seven Types of Yellow Sapphires and their Stability to Light” indicates that “an important problem is the distinction between yellow sapphires that are color stable and those that fade under normal lighting conditions.”
The article referenced the results of one series of test that concluded that some yellow sapphires from Sri Lanka faded in just three hours when exposed to direct sunlight, while others held their color for several days or even weeks before fading, and others don’t fade at all, depending on the origin of the gemstone, the impurities which are present within the gem, and the manner in which it may have been treated.
It was also noted that the color of the yellow sapphires could fade or be changed with exposure to high heat, like the heat provided by the torch used during jewelry fabrication and repair, thus it is recommended to remove yellow sapphire center stones from settings before re-sizing them, or re-tipping the setting.
While I recommend you visit a few local jewelry stores to compare the light return and luster of yellow diamonds and yellow sapphires of the same relative size and cut quality, based upon your comment that you want the option which exhibits the best light return and sparkle, I feel that a yellow sapphire is not the best option for you and that a diamond will better stand the test of time.
Photo courtesy of Jenny McCarthy’s Instagram account.
