From the rich man's fancy to the average Joe safety net, gemstones can mean different things to different people. by ICA Member Abhijita Kulshrestha

A gemstone is something that is rare, precious and durable.

It is a tiny nugget of delight that has enthralled the senses of men and women alike, having had mysterious and intriguing histories and legends trailing them, have sealed bond of love, been the saviour during a financially troublesome period, stood guarantee in tough situations, have been centerpieces of world class cinema and what not! It is the singular come oddity that by itself can increase the value of any other item manifold and uplift it into the category of uber luxury. No wonder the hallmark items of high life luxury watches, phones cuff-links golfing accessories apart from jewellery, use gemstones to enhance the value and allure.

The notional value of owning a brand can raise the value of an item to exceptional levels certainly but add a couple of Burmese rubies or Colombian emeralds to the same and it can take the value several notches higher with real tangible value that can be easily perceived.

From the rich man's fancy to the average Joe safety net gemstone can mean different things to different people-heritage he heirloom, an object of desire, Marcus on dying love and commitment, for some it is a very attractive investment option in a fluctuating market scenario - a very portable source of highvalue, safety net for hard times and in many parts of the world a symbol of faith, even a source of power and healing. In the western tradition, the importance of gemstones can be assessed by the popularity of birthstones.

Whether it is the twelve gemstones on the breastplate of the High Priest of Israelite, the love for Jade in the Orient, the fascination for premium quality turquoise and emeralds in Middle East, reverence for coral and turquoise in native Indian tribes and etc. love and symbolism for gemstones can be witnessed throughout the world.

In the Indian Vedic tradition, wellness and success of human beings is attributed to balance of energy within the human body system. And this is contingent on how the 9 planets or the navagrahas are positioned at the time of birth giving each individual a very unique map of possibilities as well as limitations. Planetary gemology is a very strong branch of study in this regard and consequently pure, natural precious gemstones assume great importance. There are nine major planetary gems that are typically used to harness the energy of these nine planets and these are namely - Ruby for Sun, Natural Pearl for Moon, Yellow Sapphire for Jupiter, Red Coral for Mars, Emerald for Mercury, Diamonds/ Colorless White Sapphire for Venus, Blue Sapphire for Saturn, Hessonite Garnet for Rahu or North Node of the Moon and lastly Cat's eye Chrysoberyl for Ketu or South Node of the Moon.

Here's a brief look at what each of the planetary energy, when in balanced form gives an individual. Please note that these are broader themes among many which a planetary energy controls, as it is not possible to list all here:

Sun - Self confidence, sense of power, soul purpose and comfort with authority

Moon - emotional stability, calmness and peacefulness

Jupiter - innate wisdom , religiosity, spiritual compass and ability to find the right direction, progeny

Mars - courage, vitality, stamina, strength

Mercury - intellect, presence of mind, power of speech , communication and creative curiosity, ease with numbers, ability of persuasion

Venus - beauty, luxury, aesthetics, wealth, career in cinema,

Saturn - time management, discipline, hard work, tenacity, truth and balance

Rahu - material desire and ambition, exotic, unconventional choices and travel

Ketu - spiritual search, sudden events and happening, mysterious

As the elders have always opined, too much of anything is not good, one does not wear gemstones to make an energy peak, but to make sure that all energies are in a state of balance and that is when an individual is able to perform best. In a good recipe, excess of any ingredient can result in an awful taste. Likewise, individuals perform best when the constituent energies are optimised.Natural, flawless gemstones yield the best results when worn in accordance with one's energy pattern and after assessing suitability.

Abhijita Kulshrestha

The author is the Director, Vedic astrologer and Planetary Gem Advisor at Gemstone Universe. She has in-depth knowledge of gemstones and their use for harmony in relationships.

Article originally published in Business World.