The Meaning and Healing Powers of Yellow Gemstones

Of all the colors of the rainbow, it is yellow that captures our eye more than the others. It is no coincidence that companies like Hertz, Shell, IKEA, Amazon and many more have at least some yellow features and nearly all of those fast food outlets that compete for our attention on the highway - MacDonald's, Denny's, Burger King, Sonic, Subway, even the clapper on Taco Bell - are splashed with yellow.

In nature, yellow is the color of sunflowers, tulips and daffodils, bananas, lemons and mangos, birds, bees and fish, sunlight, autumn leaves and sandy beaches.

In ancient empires such as the Egyptian, Greek and Roman, yellow gemstones were associated with the life giving powers and positivity of the sun.

Psychologically, yellow is optimistic and revitalizing, bringing the energy of the sun and a youthful exuberance as well as a feeling of confidence and prosperity. Yellow can stimulate the left half of the brain which influences focus and quick decision making.

On the negative side, a yellowish or sallow appearance can suggest illnesses such as jaundice and malaria or just a general unhealthiness. It has been associated with cowardice, madness and deception and, as it is so often used in warning signs, caution and inaction.

A yellow gemstone can help unblock the Solar Plexus Chakra.

Signs of a blocked Solar Plexus Chakra can include feelings of low self esteem, unhealthy dependencies on the wrong sort of person, being overly concerned with what others think of you and problems with the digestive system.

Find a quiet place to lie down and relax. Place a yellow gemstone over the location of the Solar Plexus Chakra – about 4 finger widths above the belly button - regulate your breathing and repeat a positive affirmation.

See our Chakra Gemstone article for more details.

Let us take a look at a few of the most powerful and most popular yellow gemstones in the world today. They have been selected not just for their spiritual strength and classic yellow coloring but also because they are readily available and come in a practical variety of sizes and shapes suitable for uses in jewelry or decorative items.

I have been quite strict about the color - nothing too orange or too green, they may be stunning colors but this article is about yellow stones! We will go in order of price for no real reason and begin with the most expensive.

Diamond

Diamonds are most famously white or colorless with a dazzling and sparkling clarity but in fact diamonds can be found in many colors. Colored diamonds are amongst the rarest and most valuable of all gemstones but of the colored diamonds, the yellow variety is the most common. Yellow diamonds still have all the fire and brilliance that make diamonds so much in demand but with a wonderful sunny 'twinkle'. These gemstones have all the spiritual powers of other yellow gemstones plus the formidable strengths of diamonds themselves.

Yellow Sapphire

Just as diamonds are classically clear, sapphires are traditionally thought of as a blue gemstone but they can also be found in just about every color imaginable including a range of stunning yellows. As a sapphire it still shares the famous durability and spiritual strength of all other sapphires. In fact, according Hindu Vedic astrology, the yellow sapphire is one of the most powerful of all gemstones and is linked with Jupiter, the planet that brings happiness, luck and prosperity.

Color Change Diaspore

We ummed and aahed about whether to include this gemstone but there is no doubt that in the daylight it shows a delightful delicate yellow color it is just at night time under artificial light it turns into a gorgeous pink gemstone. This cannot be a bad thing, can it? With this gemstone you get the joy and optimism of yellow plus the love and affection of pink.

Yellow Chrysoberyl

Despite its name, Chrysoberyl is not part of the famous beryl family of gemstones. It is, however, a rare and exotic gemstone which gets its name from the Greek words for golden and green. Within that range you will find some delightful yellow hues with excellent clarity and a really lively sparkle. Out here in the east, Chrysoberyl is believed to offer protection from the 'evil eye'.

Yellow Apatite

Apatite is a little known gemstone and is not often seen in jewelry items because it is a relatively soft stone. It can be used for necklaces, earrings and brooches where it will be less like to receive any knocks or bumps as well as a decorative stone for its spiritual power. It comes in a great range of bright yellow colors and can be found in some very impressive size faceted gemstones. The yellow version in particular is appreciated for its ability to boost focus and concentration levels.

Golden Beryl

Golden Beryl is a sister gemstone to the illustrious emerald, aquamarine and morganite although it can be bought at much lower prices. Its highly polished luster and usually excellent clarity mark Golden Beryl as a gemstone of great quality and class, suitable for every type of jewelry item.

Grossularite Garnet

This gemstone is a member of the famous and varied Garnet family which includes the green tsavorite, the orange hessonite and the red pyrope amongst many others. Grossularite gets its name from the botanical name for gooseberries and the color can range from lemon yellow to greenish-yellow. Grossularite Garnet possesses all the spiritual powers that garnet is famous for as well as impressive fire, brilliance and clarity.

Yellow Sillimanite

Like the apatite we mention above, Sillimanite is a rather obscure gemstone despite its excellent looks. I am not sure why as it has a decent durability making it usable it most jewelry items, a great sparkle and decent clarity plus a very reasonable price. Perhaps it is the name!

Citrine

Type 'What is the most popular yellow gemstone?' into the Google search box and Citrine is sure to pop up as the answer. I have always felt it is more orange or golden than yellow but who am I to argue with the internet? What is not in doubt, however, is the compelling spiritual power of Citrine and its outstanding good looks. Bright and eye-catching, Citrine, also known as 'The Merchant's Stone, has many good reasons to be among the world's most beloved yellow gemstones.

Yellow Quartz

For a reasonably priced yet lovely looking gemstone you cannot beat yellow quartz. It is available in every possible size from a few millimeters up to a couple of inches and in all shapes imaginable. It is a sturdy gemstone with excellent clarity that can be made into any type of jewelry and has a powerful spiritual background.

Yellow Agate

While yellow quartz mentioned above tends to be transparent and faceted, Yellow Agate is more opaque and generally comes as a cabochon - flat bottoms with domed tops. Agate has been used to carve amulets and create jewelry for thousands of years and was one of the first gemstones to be used regularly by mankind. Its long spiritual history and great looks makes Yellow Agate a first rate yellow gemstone.

Honorable Mentions

We have listed ALL yellow gemstones in an article elsewhere on our website but we wanted to limit the choices today to keep the lineup to the best of the best - both in terms of classic sunny yellow color and iconic yellow metaphysical strength.

We have to just mention a few other gemstones that just did not quite make the main list

• Yellow Moonstone
• Yellow Pearl
• Yellow Sphene
• Yellow Tourmaline
• Rutile Quartz

All could be described as yellow in certain cases but did not quite meet our exacting standards!