In vedic astrology, both, yellow topaz and
Citrine are known as the substitutes of
yellow sapphire. While yellow topaz belongs to Topaz mineral family and ranks better on Moh’s scale of hardness, Citrine comes from quartz family faring slightly lesser than yellow topaz. If and when selecting yellow topaz for astrological reasons, it is must to ensure that it is not heat treated. Since fine quality original yellow topaz is extremely rare and thus highly likely to be heat treated, it is usually less recommended to be used or worn as the substitute of yellow sapphire. Likewise, since natural Citrine is abundantly available and rarely treated, it is suggested as the first choice. However, if one can procure a lab tested, genuine yellow topaz, he can wear it as a substitute of yellow sapphire.