Gemstone Correspondences 💎💞
- Tori Smith
- Jul 19, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 25
On the day of my 31st birthday, I was gifted an engraving pen. I wanted to use it to engrave metals and stones and practice so that I could make my own talismans for the future as I was beginning to prep for my astrological magic course with Christopher Warnock. Well this slowly turned into something I really had a passion and talent for. It was like being given a tool that initiated me into something much more profound than I thought. So I practiced and then got the idea to see if I could make my own jewelry. I remember as the New Year came, I was sick. I couldn't study astrology at all like I was used to and if you know me, you know how hard it was for me to not even be able to pick up a book. So instead of burying myself in ancient texts, I explored YouTube for how to make rings and other jewelry. What I found was many people who were soldering their own rings with cabochons. (Cabochons are stones that are round, but shaped flat at the bottom.) Immediately, I was like, "I want to try this." and so I plotted. I planted my seeds and I began my journey of working with silver and became instantly drawn to stones & gems. So here I am 4 months later, still passionately learning and persisting to perfect the craft before I learn other skills that will contribute to my craft and finding out things I never even thought about and you know what, I think that if you made it this far with me, you'll be interested to read in what I have learned too.
So now I talk about gem correspondences, because even though I wield the hammer and polish the rings, there has to be more to this and there is. I often ask a lot of questions when studying and one of the biggest lately was why did certain metals correlate to a specific planet? Why this color? Why this stone? My findings were so shockingly good. Hope you enjoy!
Why are gemstones important 📚💞
So what are gemstones? The origin of gemstones begins with some minerals that crystalize from molten rock, magma, and gases from volcanic streams of the earth-s center. Some grow organically with the help of other organisms on the Earth's surface and some form under extreme pressure. The word for crystal in Greek is called κρύσταλλος (krustallos) which means ice or rock crystal. Crystals, gems, and stones have been used for centuries to, provide protection, and to establish status. Many esoteric texts in the middle ages talk detail about how you can even use these stones to cure illnesses or ward off evil. Traditionally a stone corresponds to a planet much like a food, animal, and metal. What type of stone you wear is so important because each one is related to a planet. The shape, size, and color means something and rightfully should when you look at it. With astrological stone lore becoming more popular, I aim to explore a little deeper. Wearing stones can improve the life of the native and by carving images into the right stone at a highly auspicious and calculated time using electional astrology, we can create a prompt time to communicate to the dignified planet by means of ritual procedures that merge the terrestrial and celestial powers together. This links a means of communication to the planetary spirits.
The Correlation between the Colors, Metals, Stones, and Planets 📊
We all know that gemstones has some relevance to the planet, but I think somewhere along the way, the "why" was lost...A very good explanation for how each relate? Visible spectrum. With our big human eyes, we are able to be responsive to wavelengths that reach from roughly about 380- 750 nanometers. This is interesting to talk about because if you take a piece of metal and send it through a spectroscope, what we find is that each metal can cast something called emission spectrum. This creates line rays that correspond to a specific color and with this we can see if it matches up to the correlating planet. Below is a video to explain optical emission spectroscopy. This is very scientific information, but it gives the qualitative and quantitative information as to why one metal might be associated with a planet.
Although I can't be certain that Lilly, Agrippa, Ficino or other astrologers before had a science lab. I can say that this piece of information brings us closer to why certain colors, metals, and stones then corresponds to specific planets.
Take silver which is associated with the Moon for instance. Silver's wavelength sits at about 570nm-550nm which puts itself between the yellow and green. According to Al-biruni, stones and metals associated with the Moon would be white stones and emerald. Agrippa says, "and all those stones that are White, and Green. Also the stone Selenites, Lunary, shining from white body, with a yellow brightness, imitating the motion of the Moon..."
Another example, Mars rules iron. Iron's spectral lines are at 650nm, this is compatible with the color red from the diagram above. In Book I, Chapter XXVII in Three Books of Occult philosophy, Agrippa says, "Amongst metals, Iron and red Brass; and all fiery, red, and sulphureous things..." Obviously other stones have been associated with Mars, but you see a correlation with the primary metals we all know associated with the traditional 7 planets through emission spectrum.
Conclusion
The colors associated with the planets do actually have some sort of scientific background correlated to them and say you look at all 7 of the traditional planets, you will find that each can be associated with a specific range of emission spectrum and correlate with a color. Take that color association and pair it with the planet, then you have something that works and explains the correspondence that has been lost. It honestly makes me wonder how the astrologers that we all know came to definitive conclusion to how the colors are associated to certain planets without this technology. Or did they have something far more advance then what we would be able to comprehend today? It's very interesting to think about to be completely honest. Some sources that I've found have conflicting ideas on which planet rules a stone, often associating one specific stone to several different planets. I say go with what makes the most sense to you. I just wanted to share this information and get it out there. Let me know your thoughts 💗
References
Stars and Stones- An Astro-Magical Lapidary- Peter Stockinger
Agrippa, Book I, Chapter XXIV
Agrippa, Book I, Chapter XXVII
