Yellow is the color of sunshine and it stimulates cheerfulness, the intellect and muscle energy. Citrine can be yellow in color, but it tends to warmer yellow-orange hues. Lemon quartz is bright yellow, leaning somewhat to yellow-green. Likewise, gold and bronze are warmer colors than strict yellow, but they are included here.

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The color has the narrowest wavelength span - only about 20nm, from 570nm-590nm - but because of how our eyes process light (see great blog on yellow), we tend to notice it first before all other colors, especially when placed against black. This is why cautionary signs often use the yellow-black pairing. However, when mixed with small amounts of black, yellow turns drab yellow-green; unlike other colors, there are no "dark" yellows.

Citrine is a common yellow gemstone used in jewelry, and most citrine is created by heating amethyst (also a mineral quartz) above 750 F to obtain pale to deep yellow hues. Lemon quartz is also a yellow stone created from quartz, though it tends to be more yellow-green and it's created through irradiating quartz rather than heating. Both treatments are permanent in that the colors will not alter or fade with time. Hessonite garnet, topaz and amber may also show very nice yellow hues.

Swarovski crystal colors of "jonquil", "sunflower" and "light topaz" are the most common yellow colors I use, and more crystal colors continue to be developed. There's also yellow silk ribbon and dyed pearls or wood, though I find the dyed yellow materials lack the subtlety and warm glow of some of the other materials.

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yellow | yellow green | green | blue green | blue | blue purple | purple | red purple | red | orange red | orange | yellow orange | neutral light | neutral dark |