Frequently Asked Questions

I have had different astrologers recommend me to different astrological gem dealers. How do you suggest I evaluate these recommendations?

Well, people are naturally pulled toward different individuals for karmic reasons. Here are some intelligent questions one needs to ask oneself before making a discriminating decision in regard to investing a large expense:

Is the gem dealer trained in being able to detect gem-enhancing treatments?

Are they certified in this science regarding the specific stones you may want to buy?

Will they give you a money back guarantee, no questions asked within a stated period of time, if you find the purchase not competitive or unsuitable?

Do they offer an ongoing service of buying back the gem if you want the luxury of trading up?

Do they specialize in this field and have an enormous stock to select from?

Are they passionately interested in testimonial evidence and feedback so that they can discriminate amongst all the seeming contradictory claims by authors who haven't had extensive experience in the field?

Have they laid bare their understanding experience and operational manner in writing for you to analyze and be educated by?

Do they have a variety of designs to offer that stress reliability, durability and comfort?

Are they stressing the beauty of the jewelry rather than the actual benefits of the gems for karmic mitigation?

Are they aggressively trying to sell to you or respectfully leaving you alone to make up your mind?

Many gem dealers harp on about selling to you at very competitive and affordable prices. They almost seem to be shouting from the tree tops that theirs is the best deal. Sometimes they may have a good deal on one stone but not the rest. I simply can't be bothered with harking on that I try to make my business ultra competitive. I rather, as far as possible, itemize the prices of my gems and hope that potential customers will evaluate them. Quality is always something that is very hard to describe by the written word, so often a customer has to spend the time viewing a shipped item and use the money back guarantee if they are not happy. I am much more interested in lessening my negative karmic bank balance than my financial bank balance. This is probably why I was the first to research the navaratna in the West and make it into being a viable service offered to the general public. I am also the first to evaluate and experiment with the lower cost navaratna crystals as well as the facet cut stones. Financially this is definitely not a business move but one of providing better service. A few are trying to copy me and though it is a compliment in regard to multi-gem bangles, they have nothing like my degree of quality gems or extensive experience.

One point I would like to stress regarding astrological gem dealers is that if they are paying a commision to the astrologer, you should ask them about this. It is becoming a very common practice that astrologers get paid commissions for recommending clients to gem dealers. This is unethical, if the client is not aware of this unwritten agreement. I have a lot of information on this subject, and don't want to go into it in great detail; except to say that when I started doing astrological gemstones, many astrologers approached me for a business arrangement. Generally it was five to ten percent (some wanted more) and, though I entertained the concept, and did initially pay two commissions to one astrologer, I quickly came to realize that even though they could save me advertising costs and were definitely helpful to my business survival, it was obviously unethical not to tell the client. The payments in question were very small and I did not pass them on in the cost of the orders, but I would not, regardless, have got into the situation if I had not been mistakenly persuaded by the sentiment of my peers (gem dealers and astrologers) that it was such a common practice. I haven't had any referrals from that astrologer since I stopped paying secret commissions and can leave the reason why to logical supposition. This is a practice that will eventually become very unpopular within the astrological community. It will attract scorn and justifiable ridicule upon it which is sad as it is meant to be a spiritual science. It is extremely widespread here as well as in India. But, rest assured, any astrologer who recommends me will not be paid a commision by me. I will be very willing to give them generous terms on gemstones, should they want some for personal and family use, but I will not pay cash, or send checks, as a paid commision for business they have sent my way. It's as unethical as a doctor recommending pharmaceuticals because he gets kick-backs from the manufacturer.

I don't believe in the corrupt practice that has developed in India of astrologers selling gemstones. History has shown it to be a conflict of interest that, because of all the questionable dealing, has also badly sullied the good name of Jyotish (the study of light). I'm very adamant about that. If an astrologer can't stand on his/her own two feet as an astrologer, then by all means sell gemstones; but get out of practicing astrology. Many astrologers have been repulsed from investigating remedial gems because of their justifiable suspicion and disdain for what they have seen other astrologers do in regard to promoting them. Personally, I feel it is a remarkable individual who has the time to travel the world acquiring gems at their source, cutting out the middle men and offering an efficiently competitive service, and still have the time to keep up the practice of astrology. Few industries are as smoke-screened as the jewelry and gem dealing industry. I will be listing astrologers who I don't have a business relationship with when I have fully evaluated their skills and integrity in this arena.

In India, some astrologers are not paid when they give a reading, but they would then sell the gemstones or the herbs to the client as a remedial measure. In more recent times they often arrange commissions from a highly recommended jeweler. In this arrangement they would get his payment. The subject of astrologers selling gemstones hinges on whether they become just another middle man in the process of pricing up the stones. If that is the case, they are not really helping the client. I certainly couldn't keep competitive prices if I didn't spend several months a year visiting the world's mining areas of gem supply to get very reasonable prices through dedicated purchasing of high volume for low price.

Even if the astrologer has an extensive selection of stones to offer the client, is it safe to assume the client will get the best gem for his prescription? Let's put it this way-if an astrologer has six different yellow sapphires in stock, does he recognize the different gemological indicators for detecting heat treatment? Will he compromise his recommendation in order to sell you one of his lesser quality stones? If he only has certain sizes available and cannot readily get other sizes, it would be too tempting to compromise the weight recommendation or the color tone recommendation. It's a full-time job searching for ayurvedic astrological gems. I travel the world several times a year purchasing stones as close to the source as I can to get at the best price and quality range I can find. This is a very big part of my service, and if I also practiced astrology I don't think there would be enough hours in the day.

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