And what makes a gemstone of Jyotish quality? Becoming an educated consumer when purchasing a gemstone for Jyotish and Vedic Astrology, is not an easy matter. As general rules, look for the best quality you can afford. Simultaneously, choose based on your personal taste of beauty, appeal and intuitive gratification. Auspicity of a Jyotish gem is directly proportional to your realistic, yet intuitive choice.

What determine the value of a gemstone in today’s market, are the “Four Cs”. Its Color, Clarity, Carat weight & Cutting . (Note: We’d like to include fair Cost as the fifth C, but that will be a separate post).

And Treatments or lack thereof, should be added to the list also, as they play a very important role in today’s evaluation of quality and price. As a general rule, untreated gemstones are much rarer and command higher prices. And an effective & auspicious Jyotish gemstone is the one that is completely natural, without any treatment. What does untreated mean?

Clarity: One of the most important factor in a Jyotish gem, the stone should be eye flawless, not visible inclusions to the naked eye. Emeralds are an exception, as they are always included. So, fine high clarity within gem varieties.

Color: People assumes that darker the color, the more expensive and better the stone. That isn’t true: color can be too dark & overly dark, like some “blue” sapphires that look more black than blue. Look for pleasing colors, medium color, or medium-dark and without busting your bank.

Cut: Look for a well cut stone, that has some depth, so that the light reflects back & forth, and shows off scintillation & sparkle. As a general rule, a well cut stone brings more positivity and auspiciousness. Look for a sparkling gemstone, or in the case of pearls and corals for a round, lustrous and clean surface.

Carat Weight: Indian Vedic astrologers always prescribe high carat weight, 5 carats rubies, 7 carats blue sapphires, and so on, without taking into consideration the quality of the stone. The truth is that in India, averagely, the quality of the nine Jyotish gemstone is not Jyotish quality at all. As a general rule, the price increases per carat as we go from smaller to larger stones, since the larger stones are more limited in supply. However, the price does not increase proportionately – there are disproportionate jumps. And the larger the stone (all else being equal in terms of overall quality), the more disproportionate the increase in cost per carat may be. In all, get the higher carat weight that you can afford in higher qualities. Carat weight, at this point in time is a matter of choice.

Sattvic Feel: One of the most natural & indispensable requisites in a Jyotish gemstone, this quality is something that cannot be seen, touched or measured, but felt with your intuition. Sattva in Ayurveda is one of the 3 life forces, and is synonym with purity, wholesomeness, and virtue. Sense the sweet, Sattvic feel in the right Jyotish gemstone.

The Planetary Gems International Co. is the original, trusted source for fine, Jyotish quality gemstones and personalized, one-of-a-kind astrological jewelry at the most competitive and fairest prices for the quality offered.

If you want to know more…