SHASTRA...JYOTISH: characteristics of gem stones

RUBY-Gemstone of sun.

Gemological Characteristics

SPECIES: corundum
TRANSPARENCY: transparent
COLOR: red, orangish-red, violetish-red, purplish-red, pinkish-red & blackish-red.1)
REFRACTIVE INDEX: 1.763-1.770
BIREFRINGENCE: 0.008
PLEOCHROISM: strong dichroism
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: hexagonal
OPTIC CHARACTER: doubly refractive
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 4.00 MOHS
HARDNESS: 9
DISPERSION: 0.018
FLUORESCENCE: long wave-weak to strong red
IDENTIFYING VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS: fingerprint inclusions, hexagonal growth lines, silk (rutile), and straight color banding.

1) PEARL-Gemstone of moon

Gemological Characteristics

SPECIES: natural pearl
TRANSPARENCY: translucent to opaque
COLOR: white, pink rose, cream, yellowish, greenish, blue, gray and black
REFRACTIVE INDEX: 1.530-1.686
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: aggregate
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 2.70 MOHS
HARDNESS: 2 1/2 - 4 1/2
FLUORESCENCE: long wave-inert to strong, short wave-inert to moderate.
IDENTIFYING VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS: orient, gritty texture when rubbed on teeth, best test to separate natural from cultured is X-radiograph.

2) MOONSTONE

Gemological Characteristics

SPECIES: orthoclase feldspar
TRANSPARENCY: transparent to translucent
COLOR: colorless and white with white/bluish adularescence
REFRACTIVE INDEX: 1.518-1.526
BIREFRINGENCE: .008
PLEOCHROISM: weak dichorism
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: monoclinic
OPTIC CHARACTER: doubly refractive
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 2.56 MOHS
HARDNESS: 6 - 6 1/2
DISPERSION: .012
FLUORESCENCE: not significant
IDENTIFYING VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS: adularescence (floating white/bluish light), near perfect cleavage, splintery/ uneven fracture, centipede inclusions.
YELLOW SAPPHIRE-Gemstone of jupiter

Gemological Characteristics

SPECIES: corundum
TRANSPARENCY: transparent
COLOR: light-yellow,yellow,golden-yellow, brownish yellow, golden,orangishyellow, golden orange, and pinkish orange (padparadscha )
REFRACTIVE INDEX: 1.762-1.770
BIREFRINGENCE: 0.008
PLEOCHROISM: strong dichroism
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: hexagonal
OPTIC CHARACTER: doubly refractive
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 4.00 MOHS
HARDNESS: 9
DISPERSION: 0.018
FLUORESCENCE: colorless sapphire--inert to strong reddish (long- wave), inert to moderate orange (short wave).
IDENTIFYING VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS: fingerprint inclusions, hexagonal growth lines, silk (rutile), and straight color banding

EMERALD-Gemstone of mercury

Gemological Characteristics

SPECIES : beryl
TRANSPARENCY : transparent
COLOR : green, yellowish-green and bluish green
REFRACTIVE INDEX : 1.577 - 1.583
BIREFRINGENCE : 0.005 - 0.009
PLEOCHROISM : weak to strong dichroism
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : hexagonal
OPTIC CHARACTER : doubly refractive
SPECIFIC GRAVITY : 2.72 MOHS
HARDNESS : 7 1/2 - 8
DISPERSION : 0.014
FLUORESCENCE : inert to weak green (long and shortwave)
IDENTIFYING VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS : typical 3 phase and 2 phase inclusions, inclusions of calcite, pyrite, mica and/or tremolite needles, etc.

GREEN TOURMALINE- for mercury

Gemological Characteristics

IDENTIFYING VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS : color zoning, natural inclusions, e.g., threadlike liquid and gas inclusions, and modera

DIAMOND-Gemstone of venus

Gemological Characteristics

SPECIES : diamond
TRANSPARENCY : transparent
COLOR : colorless to tints of yellow, brown, blue, pink, chartreuse and black
REFRACTIVE INDEX : 2.417
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : cubic
OPTIC CHARACTER : singly refractive
SPECIFIC GRAVITY : 3.52 MOHS
HARDNESS : 10
DISPERSION : 0.044
FLUORESCENCE : inert to very strong bluish-white (long and short wave)
IDENTIFYING VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS : adamantine luster, naturals, waxy to rough girdle surface, sharpness offacet edges, reflectivity meter of diamond probe helps separate diamonds from substitutes.

WHITE ZIRCON- for venus

Gemological Characteristics

SPECIES : zircon
TRANSPARENCY : transparent
COLOR : colorless
REFRACTIVE INDEX : 1.875 - 1.905 (medium), 1.925 - 1.984 (high)
PLEOCHROISM : weak to strong dichroism
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : tetragonal
OPTIC CHARACTER : doubly refractive
SPECIFIC GRAVITY : 4.32 (medium), 4.70 (high) MOHS
HARDNESS : 7 1/2
DISPERSION : .038
FLUORESCENCE : not significant
IDENTIFYING VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS : natural angular inclusions, abraded facet junctions, strong doubling of back facets.

BLUE SAPPHIRE-Gemstone of saturn

Gemological Characteristics

SPECIES : corundum
TRANSPARENCY : transparent to translucent
COLOR : blue, violetish-blue, greenish-blue, blackish- blue, gray blue, purple and violet
REFRACTIVE INDEX : 1.762 - 1.770
BIREFRINGENCE : .008
PLEOCHROISM : strong dichroism
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : hexagonal
OPTIC CHARACTER : doubly refractive
SPECIFIC GRAVITY : 4 MOHS
HARDNESS : 9
DISPERSION : 0.018
FLUORESCENCE : light blue sapphire--moderate to strong pink (long wave), purple/violet sapphire--inert to strong reddish violet (long wave) and inert to moderate reddish (short wave)
IDENTIFYING VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS : fingerprint inclusions, hexagonal growth lines, silk (rutile) and straight color banding.

CORAL-Gemstone of mars

Gemological Characteristics

SPECIES : coral
TRANSPARENCY : translucent
COLOR : red, pink, reddish-orange & orange
REFRACTIVE INDEX : 1.486 - 1.658
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : aggregate
SPECIFIC GRAVITY : 2.65 MOHS
HARDNESS : 3 1/2 - 4
DISPERSION : .038
FLUORESCENCE : n/a
IDENTIFYING VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS : wavy parallel fibrous structure, uneven fracture with dull luster.

HESSONITE-Gemstone of rahu

Gemological Characteristics

SPECIES : grossularite
TRANSPARENCY : transparent
COLOR : golden orange, brownish orange and reddish orange
REFRACTIVE INDEX : 1.74 - 1.75
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : cubic
OPTIC CHARACTER : singly refractive
SPECIFIC GRAVITY : 3.61 MOHS
HARDNESS : 7
DISPERSION : 0.028
FLUORESCENCE : inert
IDENTIFYING VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS : roiled (heat-wave) internal appearance, garnet inclusions, anomalous double refraction and strain colors may be visible in polariscope.

CAT'S EYE-Gemstone of ketu

Gemological Characteristics

SPECIES : chrysoberyl
TRANSPARENCY : transparent to translucent
COLOR : yellow, greenish-yellow, brownish- yellow,
REFRACTIVE INDEX : 1.746 - 1.755
BIREFRINGENCE : .009
PLEOCHROISM : weak to strong dichroism to trichroism
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : orthorhombic
OPTIC CHARACTER : doubly refractive
SPECIFIC GRAVITY : 3.73 MOHS
HARDNESS : 8 1/2
DISPERSION : 0.015
FLUORESCENCE : nil
IDENTIFYING VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS : strong chatoyant "cat's-eye" looking light band caused by light reflection on minute included crystal fibers or tubes, also natural and fingerprint inclusions.

SHASTRA...JYOTISH