1. First wash the gem in water (if possible Ganges water).
2. Then wash the gem in milk.
3. Then wash the gem again in water.
4. Then place the gem on an altar or sacred place before a picture of the deity
of the planet that is related to the gem being installed. For instance, the gem
should be placed before the deity of Surya or a yantra for the Sun if the
planet that the gem is for is the Sun.
5. Incense should be offered.
6. The mantras for the planet should be chanted.
7. The ring should be placed on the hand.
Testing for Positive Effect
It is usually best to test a gem before wearing it. Some gems are unlucky or not
auspicious to wear, even if they are flawless. It is best to first test gems by
placing them under your pillow at night, or wearing them on your arm wrapped in
a cloth of the same color for three or four days. If the gem has a bad effect
during the test period, it should not be worn. Blue sapphire should especially
be tested, as the wrong stone can have a very negative effect.
Purchasing Gemstones Overseas
It is important to purchase gemstones from a reputable shop. The difficulty lies
in being able to distinguish a reputable shop from a disreputable one. Before
making any purchase, go to several shops and expect straightforward dealings.
The biggest mistake
a person can make when purchasing gemstones overseas is trying to negotiate too
good a deal. Something valuable will not be sold for nothing. It is unlikely
that a normal buyer will gain an advantage over a professional gem dealer. If
you think you have struck too good a bargain, question the quality of the stone
you are purchasing. In Southeast Asia there is no shortage of con men.
If someone seems
too friendly and accommodating, especially if you have met him on the street, be
especially careful. Even if this person takes you to a reputable shop, his
commission will be fixed into the price you pay. Such persons often receive a
healthy commission, and you, the buyer, will find yourself paying up to fifty
percent or more than you would have paid normally. Remember the old saying, “Too
much devotion is the sign of a thief.” Be just as careful with tour operators,
who also often receive commissions for introducing you to particular shops.
A general rule: the
closer you are to where the stones are mined, the better chance you have of
being cheated. There is more of a likelihood that synthetic stones are for sale
along with the real ones. Unless you know the difference, such places are better
avoided.
A common scam: “A
special government tax has been waived for the next few days. Buy now while the
price is right!”
Another scam: You
are told that you will be able to resell the gems you are purchasing at home for
a huge profit. Or, you are told that you are receiving a wholesale price. Be
extremely careful of those who make such statements. If such huge profits were
available, these merchants would be making them themselves. Written guarantees
mean nothing.
Prices of Gems
A gem’s price is determined by the four “Cs”: carat (weight), cut, clarity, and
color. Another major factor is the buyer’s preferences. If a gem is
fashionable, its value will increase. Another factor affecting price is
whether the gem is common or rare. Whether a gemstone is natural, synthetic, or
imitation will affect the price, as will supply and demand. Often speculation
can drive the price of gemstones up or down. If a new diamond mine is discovered
and the supply uncontrolled, the price of diamonds will drop.
Only flawless,
well-colored (or colorless) gems should be used for astrological purposes. Only
ten percent of natural gems fall into this category. After flaws are ruled out,
the color should be judged. Flawless gems are difficult to find. Still, they are
worth seeking out, because their effect is most positive. It is definitely
better to pay more for a flawless gem than a flawed one. If a gem has too many
flaws, it should not be purchased at all.
Carat—Weight
and Size
Carats are the unit of measurement used for selling gems. A carat is one-fifth
of a gram. 5 carats =1.0 gram =0.035 ounce. 141.75 carat = 28.35 grams =1 ounce.
Usually, as the
weight of a gem increases, so does its value. The value does not usually
increase proportionate to the increase in size, because larger stones are rarer
and thus more valuable. The price of diamonds, rubies, and emeralds increases
greatly with an increase in their weight, because large varieties of these
gemstones are rare. For example, a one-carat diamond may cost about $1,000; a
two-carat diamond will usually be more than double that price, around $3,000.
Aquamarine, topaz, and rock crystal do not increase as much in value as their
carat size increases, because large crystals of these gemstones are more common.
When you are shown
a gem, you should be able to see its weight. If a gem is cut too deeply, much of
the gem cannot be seen. The gem may also be too dark. If the cut of the gem is
too shallow, it will lack brilliance and have a flat, washed-out look. If a gem
is cut properly, it will look good from any angle.
Color
A gemstone’s color is a big factor in its price. Colored stones are usually more
valuable than clear ones, except for diamonds. Some gems are fixed in their
color. Ruby means red, and emerald means green. Sapphires can be any color but
red, but blue sapphires are considered the most valuable, along with the
pink-orange “lotus flower” variety (due to their rarity). The rarity of a
particular color of gemstone is an important factor in determining its price.
A good colored gem
should not be so pale that it is hard to see the color, or so dark that it
appears black. A gem’s color should be uniform, not blotchy or stronger in one
spot than another.
Trust your judgment
when looking at gem color. Usually the brighter, more vivid and rich the color,
the more valuable the gem. Ask to see a range of colors, and notice the
differences. Preference is quite personal. Look at the gems in a variety of
lights. Some gems look great in daylight but do not look good under artificial
light, and vice versa.
“Fire,” the fiery
flash in a gem, often increases its value. Fire is caused by refraction, which
is the bending of light inward as it enters a denser substance. This is normally
seen in the refraction in water, which makes a stick seem to bend under water.
Clarity
Clarity refers to the clearness and clean look of a gem. It is measured by lack
of inclusions, cracks, or flaws on the surface or within the gem. The clearer
the gem, the better. Inclusions are mineral grains that can be seen, fluids
within the stone’s body, or bad crystal features, such as twinning. Often,
gemstones with cloudy inclusions and air bubbles can be clarified by using heat
treatment, but gems treated in this way are not good for astrological use.
How many flaws are
acceptable in a gem changes from gem to gem. A good emerald will almost always
have some inclusions, and a flawless emerald is often suspect—it may be
synthetic. Aquamarine should not have flaws, or very few.
Sometimes
inclusions can make a gem more attractive, such as with star stones—star
sapphires, cat’s eyes, feldspars, and rutilated quartz.
Only glass or a
highly superior gem is free of inclusions visible to the eye.
To judge a
transparent gem’s clarity, hold the gem in thumb and forefinger up to the sun
and allow the sunlight to pass through the gem. If the gem is opaque or
semi-translucent, it is flawed. These gems should not be used for astrological
purposes; they will have a negative effect. Pearls, coral, jade, and agate are
the only translucent gems considered to have a positive astrological effect.
Transparent gems give one a better look at the quality of the gem.
Cut
and Polishing
Gems are cut and polished in a variety of ways. The preferred cut for a diamond
is the brilliant cut, while the preferred cut for precious opal is a domed
solid. Some gems are even carved. A good cut increases the value of a gem; a
poor cut reduces its value.
Transparent gems
are faceted (a facet is a flat, polished face). This process involves cutting
with an abrasive (usually diamond) saw, grinding the gem, then polishing it. How
a stone is cut affects its brilliance.
Cut can be judged
by shape, type, proportion, and symmetry. Diamonds are usually cut by the
brilliant cut because this cut makes the most of their high dispersion. The cut
has almost sixty facets, which increases the fire or refraction in a diamond. In
a diamond, the light is refracted so strongly that it is trapped inside and
reflected before it emerges again. The value of diamonds increased greatly in
the 1920s when the brilliant cut was developed. Like a diamond, white zircon and
colored considerate also have strong fire, and therefore benefit from the
brilliant cut.
Hardness
Hardness is the measurement of the strength of a gem’s chemical bond. Each
mineral is given a number to indicate its degree of hardness. Hardness tells us
how resistant a gem is to being scratched.
Gems are measured
according to Mohs scale from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest). Minerals with higher
numbers can scratch minerals with lower ones. A diamond is the hardest mineral,
and receives a 10 on Mohs scale. The difference in hardness between one number
on the scale and another is not proportionate. A diamond receives a 10 and
corundum a 9, but diamonds are four times as hard as corundum.
Gems softer than 7
on the scale have a tendency to scratch when set in rings. Most quartz includes
some dust, which has a hardness of 7. Therefore gems with a hardness less than 7
tend to become scratched by the quartz in dust.
Mohs scale: 1–talc;
2.5–fingernail; 3–copper coin; 4–fluorite; 5–apatite; 5.5–glass; 6–orthoclase
feldspar; 6.5–steel: 7–quartz; 8–topaz; 9–corundum; 10–diamond.
Stability
Stability is judged by how well a gem will stand up to chemicals or
deteriorating substances. Opals contain water, and may lose stability in dry
air; they may crack due to loss of original volume.
Pearls are damaged
by alcohol, perfume, and acids. Some amethysts and kunzites can fade in
sunlight. Porous gems such as turquoise can become discolored by skin oils.
Toughness
A gem’s toughness is based on how well it resists cracking, chipping, or
breaking. Crystals often have a plane of weakness, or a cleavage. Diamonds,
which are the hardest mineral, are not actually so tough due to their octahedral
cleavage planes. Diamonds may break if dropped or struck.
Topaz has a
hardness of 8 but is also not so tough. Topaz has one perfect cleavage, which
makes it hard to facet. Some gems have an internal stress, which lowers their
toughness. Opal can chip easily if hit sharply.
Nephrite Jade has a
hardness of between 6 and 6.5, but it is the toughest gemstone because of its
strong, interlocking fiber crystal.
Pearls have a
hardness of 3, but it is tough; they do not easily break when dropped.
Luster
Luster is the light reflected from the gem’s surface. Some stones flash like the
sun, while others have a subtler, softer luster. To have a high luster, the gem
must have a smooth surface and be highly reflective. Polishing gems help improve
their luster.
Diamonds have the
brightest luster. They have an adamantine or hard luster. Most other gemstones
possess a glassy or vitreous luster. Quartz is a good example of such a shine.
The luster of turquoise is softer.
Brilliance
Brilliance is the reflection of light from within a gem. A brilliant gem is
described as being lively, or having life. A gem’s brilliance depends on its
refractive index and upon the way it is cut. A gem’s sparkle is counted
as its brilliance.
Refractive Index
The Refractive Index (RI) measures the velocity of light traveling through the
gemstone, and how that gem refracts the light that enters it. Refraction is
created when the speed of light changes as it moves from air to some other form
of matter. A faceted gem will refract back from within itself light that enters
it. When light enters a gem, it changes course and is slowed down (refracted).
An instrument
called a refractometer measures Refractive Index. It measures the angle that
light bends in a gemstone.
The refractivity of
a gem is higher in the more dense stones. The most refractive gems, diamond and
sapphire, are denser than most gems. All gems except ones that have high
symmetry (such as cubical stones) have two or three refractive indexes.
Difference In Light
The light in which one views a gem can make it appear differently. The blue of a
sapphire will look bluer under a fluorescent light, because fluorescent light
contains many waves in the blue range. A ruby viewed under a fluorescent light
will appear weak and have a muddy red color.
A blue sapphire
looks best when viewed in strong sunlight in the summer or in the tropics, or
under a strong fluorescent light. Winter sunlight will make it appear
dull. If it is cloudy the gem may appear a grayish blue.
Specific Gravity
Density is measured by Specific Gravity. Specific Gravity is the weight of a gem
compared to an equal volume of water, which is equal to the value in grams per
cubic centimeter.
The density of a
gem can be measured by weighing it in air and in water. Gems can also be sunk in
liquids of various densities. If there are two gems of the same size, the one
with higher density will appear heavier when held.
Cleavage
A cleavage is a weakness in a crystal that tends to break along a certain plane.
When there are cleavages in gemstones, it can be difficult to cut a face across
them. Some gems don’t have cleavages. For example, quartz gems break in curved
fractures.
Fire
Fire is the play of color in a gem. Dispersion causes fire in a gem. The colors
that make up white light bend to different degrees during refraction. As they
pass through a gem, they separate into the colors of the rainbow. Fire is
usually seen only in clear gems, because the natural color of other gems will
cover this phenomenon.
The degree of
dispersion varies with each gem. In two different gemstones of the same size and
cut, the one with the greater dispersion will show more colors. Thus a diamond
has a higher quality fire than a quartz gem.
Synthetic or Treated Gems
A synthetic gem is a manufactured equivalent of a natural one. Such gems are
manufactured in laboratory-controlled conditions, and are useless for
astrological purposes.
There are different
kinds of synthetic gems. An imitation gem resembles a natural gem, but has a
totally different composition.
A treated or
enhanced gem has been changed chemically or physically. Gems are often heated or
irradiated to enhance or change their color, or to improve their clarity. Some
gems are enhanced chemically by dyeing, bleaching, waxing, adding plastic, or
oiling.
Some forms of
enhancement are considered respectable in the gem business. For example, heating
blue sapphires bring out their blue color. Such enhancements permanently alter
the gem. Jewelers are required to inform customers about enhancements, if the
customer inquires.
Dying is common in
the gem business. To test whether or not a gem has been dyed, rub the stone with
a cotton ball dipped in fingernail polish remover (acetone). Acetone will
dissolve the dye and it will rub off onto the cotton ball.
Most rubies and
sapphires are heat treated to improve their color because treating increases the
sale value. Amethyst, spinel, topaz, peridot, garnet, citrine, and tourmaline
are also frequently treated. Since jewelers are usually good at what they do, it
is difficult to tell whether gems have been treated.
Once a gem has been
altered, it greatly reduces its astrological value. Great care should be taken,
therefore, to purchase untreated, high quality gems.
