A Sunshine State - Trending Yellow Jewellery in 2021
31 Mar 2021
Belinda Morris, editor of The Jeweller, gets carried away by yellow and orange gemstones.
As I write this, the sun is out… I mean properly out and it’s going to be the same tomorrow and the next day. (Apologies – by the time you read this it will have gone again – but it’ll be back). The point is this – a little drop of sunshine can do wonders for the mood. Never mind the science stuff – it’s all about its cheery yellowy-orangeness.
As any colour therapist worth their chakra chart and healing crystals will tell you, yellow is, broadly, the colour of happiness. It’s said to energise, uplift, stimulate body and mind and relieve depression and confusion. Orange ramps things up further with its ability to enthuse and excite.
Many years ago I was seriously captivated by an issue of Vogue, which celebrated the colour yellow. I can still see the magazine’s cover and the featured bright lemon, towelling top (nicer than it sounds) that I felt I had to own. Blow the expense. With hindsight it might have been wiser to have gone for the strappy heels – accessories are very useful for expressing and adorning yourself with colour. Which brings me neatly (if in a roundabout way) to coloured gemstone jewellery.
Gemstones have plenty to offer in the way of an uplifting shot of sunshine.
April’s birthstone is the diamond… but not all diamonds are clear (white); they can also be yellow, in shades from very pale to strong canary. The more intense the yellow, the more desirable (and for ‘desirable’ read ‘expensive’), but beauty is in the eye of the beholder of course. In case you were wondering, it’s the presence of nitrogen in the compound element of the diamond that creates the colour.
Trace elements also give us yellow sapphires, which apart from being beautiful (particularly if edged with white diamonds) have the added benefit of healing throat infections, aiding professional prosperity and ensuring blissful matrimony. If worn by true believers of course… I can’t promise anything.
Likewise for the healing benefits of citrine – which can be found in shades from pale lemon to yellowy-brown. Apart from improving blood circulation they can also encourage self-expression and promote motivation. Apparently. Mostly they’re just very pretty.
One of my favourite stones is amber (maybe for its sunny glow and maybe because it can look like barley sugar). An organic gem (like pearl and coral) it comes in a range of colours from cream to gold, cognac and deep orange-red. The ancient Greeks believed that it was formed as a result of the death of the son of Apollo (it’s a long story) but in fact, amber is the fossilised sap of prehistoric trees (so another long story) and has been used medicinally and as a talisman for centuries. If you like your jewellery to be attractive and useful, amber’s alleged therapeutic powers include alleviating stress, bringing wisdom and patience and protection from the evil eye and malign fairy influence. It’s a lot to ask of a necklace; I’m happy to settle for the feel-good factor I get from retail therapy.
From amber, citrine and golden quartz, to yellow diamonds and sapphires, we’ve selected just a few pieces of sunshine jewellery from designers and brands – all members of the National Association of Jewellers.
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Daniella Draper: silver claw ring with citrine
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GfG Jewellery: Yellow diamond ‘Sonia’ necklace
Explore GfG Jewellery
Hockley Mint: Yellow sapphire and diamond ring
Explore Hockley Mint
Mishanto: Citrine and peridot earrings
Explore Mishanto
Andrew Geoghegan: 18ct gold ring with rutilated quartz
Explore Andrew Geoghegan
PJ Watson: Orange garnet and diamond ring
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Shakti Ellenwood: Fairtrade gold yellow diamond and pink sapphire ‘Dora’ ring
Explore Shakti Ellenwood
Tivon: Golden quartz ring with diamonds
Explore Tivon Fine Jewellery
CW Sellors: Silver and amber palette brooch
Explore CW Sellors
Ntinga: citrine stud earrings
Explore Ntinga
We hope you enjoyed this selection of jewellery incorporating the colour yellow in so many creative ways. Use our Find a Jeweller tool below to find more talented and trusted jewellers near you.
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Source: The National Association of Jewellers