either select and set the gem for the client themselves or send the client to a specialist
who will “fill the prescription” for the client. Client preference is generally of only mini-
mal importance in the Vedic system. There are also specific contraindications in terms
of combining certain stone combinations in the Vedic system, though there is such a
thing as a nine-gem setting called a Nava-Ratna, which is an exception to the con-
traindication rule. Western astrologers are less stringent about cautioning against vari-
ous gem combinations, though some will advise against certain of these.
Following is a list of commonly accepted correspondences between gems and
planets. Note that even when Vedic and Western correlations are in agreement, there
is a high likelihood that the gem of choice will be different for the same chart when
viewed in both the Vedic and Western systems. This is because Vedic astrologers use
the sidereal zodiac while Western astrologers use the tropical zodiac. Note that for
each planet, “secondary” correlations are in parentheses:
Sun:Western: Ruby (golden yellow chrysoberyl, champagne [yellow]
diamond, amber, gold); Vedic: Ruby (red spinel, garnet, rubellite).
All of these should be set in gold.
Moon:Western: Pearl (moonstone, emerald, calcite, chalcedony);
Vedic: Pearl (moonstone).
Mercury:Western: Agate (yellow sapphire, yellow topaz, lodestone,
cinnabar); Vedic: Emerald (green jade, peridot, green tourmaline,
diopside)
Venus:Western: Blue or pink sapphire (padparadschah sapphire,
hyacinth zircon, chrysoprase, copper); Vedic: Diamond (zircon,
quartz, topaz, white sapphire). Venus stones should be free of
opaque patches.
Mars:Western: Diamond (red garnet, star ruby, hematite, red coral);
Vedic:Red coral (carnelian, bloodstone).
Jupiter:Western: Blue topaz (lapis lazuli, star sapphire, blue spinel, iris
agate); Vedic: Yellow sapphire (yellow topaz, citrine, heliodor).
Saturn:Western: Turquoise (aquamarine, black spinel, obsidian, black
coral); Vedic: Blue sapphire (blue spinel, amethyst, indicolite).
Uranus:Western: Amethyst (aventurine quartz, quartz crystal, barite,
green garnet); Vedic: Not used.
Neptune:Western: Bloodstone (rainbow moonstone, shells in general, flu-
orite, amethyst quartz [striped with milky quartz]); Vedic: Not used.
Pluto:Western: Opal (alexandrite, flint, kunzite, rhodochrosite);
Vedic: Not used.
Rahu (Moon’s North Node): Western: Depends on sign and sign’s ruler.
Vedic: Hessonite garnet (orange zircon, spessartine garnet).
Ketu (Moon’s South Node): Western: Depends on sign and sign’s ruler;
Vedic: Cat’s eye chrysoberyl (cat’s eye apatite, tourmaline, beryl).—Donna Van ToenGemstones and Astrology
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