Vedic Gems and Ayurvedic Jewelry

The Sun

Ruby is the primary gem for the Sun. The red variety of the mineral Corundum, Ruby is of the same gem species as Sapphire, which occurs in practically every color. Corundum is highly prized as the gemstone second in hardness to Diamond. High hardness is valuable in gem crystals for enhanced brilliance, the flashes of reflected white light from the polished gemstone, as well as for maximum durability.

Ruby color must fall within a specific range of hues and tones of red in order to be given a gemological certificate calling the gem Ruby. Too pink and it will be certified as Pink Sapphire; too purple gives you a Purple Sapphire 'call' on your 'cert.'

Ruby rarely occurs in large, 'clean' crystals, meaning crystals that are free of impurities or inclusions. A four carat 'eye clean' Ruby is a rare gem indeed. For Jyotish or Vedic astrology purposes some sources recommend a 2 carat gem and some sources say we can use either one carat or one and a half carat. Make high quality your top priority, and secondly get the largest gem you can afford, within reason, as you will feel increased power with bigger gems. An important reason to purchase your Ruby from a Graduate Gemologist, or G.G., is that the majority of Rubies sold have been heat-treated which render them impotent for our healing and talismanic purposes. Rubies are usually heated in the gem trade in order to enhance the color and/or to melt certain types of inclusions. You will want to be assured that your Ruby is a natural Ruby with no evidence of heat treatment.

Ruby has been called 'the king of gems' throughout history in many different cultures. As the gem of the Sun, our life-giving star, the center of our solar system, and the ruler of the royal sign of Leo, I have designed the Sun ring to capture some sense of the regal!

Red Spinel is another fabulous yet not well-known red gem. Many so-called Rubies throughout history have actually been determined to be Red Spinels, including some large gemstones in the British Crown Jewels. Red Spinel deposits are found in some of the same locales as Ruby deposits, accounting for its having been commonly mistaken for Ruby prior to gemological testing. You can acquire a beautiful red gem, relatively free of flaws for approximately one quarter of the price of a comparable color Ruby. You may not have heard of Red Spinel as it is not abundant enough to have been mass marketed; yet you will find any Gemologist or well-informed jeweler to be aware of this red beauty. With a hardness of 8, as compared to Ruby Corundum's hardness of 9 you are taking a step down in hardness, yet when compared to Tourmaline at 7 - 7 ½, or Garnet at 6 ½ - 7 ½, you can see that 8 still makes for a very hard and durable gemstone. My sense is that a two carat Red Spinel would be a very powerful gem, yet the traditional rule is over 3 carats for secondary gems.

Almandite Garnet, 3.30 carats in weight, is the gemstone set in the Sun ring pictured at the top of this page. The member of the Garnet group that displays the brightest, lightest shades of red is Almandite. Rhodolite occurs in shades of purplish red. The other red species of Garnet, which is usually darker red, is Pyrope.

*Warning regarding all Sun gems. All of these gems are heating to our bodies and energetic systems. These gems should be worn only when recommended, obviously, and with awareness as to the sense of heat in both the body and the emotions. Even if recommended by your astrologer as a supportive talisman, please remove the gem from contact with your body if you feel your heart racing, if you have high blood pressure or feel overheated, agitated, 'hot-headed', etc. One of my favorite ways to check the 'channeler' on any modern esoteric book on gems and crystals is to flip straight to Ruby and Coral and see if there is any warning on the use of these hot gems. If there is not I consider that the 'channeler' does not know of what they speak to be unable to feel the heat emanating from these gemstones.