Buying a Natural Unheated Ceylon Yellow Sapphire? – Here Are Some Pointers

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Gemstoneuniverse.com Table Natural Yellow Sapphire Gemstone Facts

Yellow sapphire is known as pukhraj/ pushyaraga or pushparaag in Hindi and is the gemstone of Jupiter/ Guru/ Brihaspati in Vedic astrology.

Yellow sapphire with rich butter yellow or canary yellow colors are the most coveted not only for their color but for the value they fetch! Generally, more the lustre and richer the color of a gem, higher will be its value. Alongside, if the gem is clear and has lesser number of inclusions or clarity characteristics, the value of the gem jumps up still higher.

Yellow sapphire is an amazingly popular gemstone – In India because of the auspiciousness and general notion of good fortune associated with it; and in the West because a good yellow sapphire almost looks like a fancy colored yellow diamond and is fairly hard on the Mohs Scale too (Diamonds measures 10 and sapphire/ corundum measures 9 on the Mohs Scale).

One must be careful while purchasing a jyotish quality natural yellow sapphire. The first pointer is that if a gem is natural and unheated, it will be costly! So if you find a deal that sounds too good to be true, think twice before jumping in.

Richer color fetches better value and that is the reason why many heat-treated yellow sapphires can be found in the market. Heat treatment removes undesirable clarity characteristics of heavily included or dull /cloudy gems, resulting in good-looking gemstones of improved clarity and brilliance.

Low-grade sapphire is also subjected to beryllium treatment to give it a richer yellow color. With beryllium diffusion, the new richer color is changed not only superficially but to a great depth within the stone. For instance a pale or even green color stone subjected to beryllium treatment can change its color and produce a brilliant lovely yellow gemstone as an end result.

In planetary gem therapy, a heat-treated gemstone has no value. Ethical practices dictate that any treatment done to the gemstone should be disclosed. Ask for certification of authenticity. Do not be taken in my any fancy / grand names or epithets that are usually give to substitutes or imitations. The pitch is completely in the name. For instance, peridot is sold under the soubriquet of Evening Emerald. It does NOT make it an emerald!

Plenty of people end up buying citrine, topaz or synthetic gems sold unethically under the name of pukhraj! Caveat emptor! When you have the advantage of information, use it to buy intelligently.

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