Different planets in the zodiac correspond to different gem stones. Pearl is the official birthstone for the month of June as pronounced by the American National Association of Jewelers in 1912. It is the birthstone for the Sun Signs of Gemini and Cancer. In most cultures today, pearls are the jewelry of choice for brides as a symbol of love and purity; they are also given on the first, third, twelfth and 30th wedding anniversaries. 

In India, gems are commonly worn in accordance with your birth planet and your current vimshotari dasha ruler. The birth planet rules the first house or ascendant ruler (the planet which rules the sidereal ascendant or lagnapati). The stone corresponding to the birth planet is known as the “birth stone” and should be worn throughout one’s lifetime.

Since the first house is the most important house in a birth chart and the ascendant ruler is supposedly the key to your general wellbeing and success in life, wearing the corresponding gemstone is said to enhance your image and self-esteem and increase your self-confidence and ability to gain recognition. 

The dasha period is a temporary period of planetary rulership; once that period is over, the corresponding gemstone must be removed.

If your ascendant is in an "afflicted" or weak position, you are liable to experience all kinds of health difficulties, career misfortunes and relationship tragedies. In order to counteract the effects of negative planetary influences, certain Vedic (“jyotish”) gemstones are recommended as a constant source of specific rays, giving rise to constructive vibrations which are lent to your ascendant ruler, thus bolstering its therapeutic energies.

Generally speaking, depending on which planet in your astrological chart needs to be strengthened, the particular gems ruled by that planet must be worn for their remedial powers. Beyond Americanized astrology which merely associates specific planets to certain gemstones, Hindu astrology offers various antidotes (upayes) to alleviate the effects of a malefic planet or enhance the powers of a beneficent one. One of the only ancient texts which “prescribe” gems with therapeutic powers from a Vedic worldview is the "Garuda Purana". To be effective, the suggested gemstone must be natural, large, unblemished, single, of highest affordable quality, chemically untreated and undyed.

According to Dr. Theja Hetiaratchi of Western Australia, a Vedic astrologer and gemologist, if specific planets in one’s birth chart are incompatible with one another, the stones ruled by the conflicting planets should not be worn together. For example, he suggests that pearls should not be worn with hessonite or cat's eye since the Moon is not compatible with Rahu or Ketu (the moon’s north and south nodes). Wearing blue sapphires or emeralds for one with a weak moon placement are also contraindicated.

They say “Diamonds are forever," but not for everyone because Vedic gemstones are worn based on your internal configuration – you may call it mind over matter. Diamonds are made up of 100% carbon; they are an extremely concentrated form of Earth. In practice, it is found that dramatic and positive effects come to you if you wear the particular gem(s) which encourage strengthening of the planetary imbalances in your horoscope.

Depending on your particular planetary configuration, wearing the “wrong” stone can attract negative energies. For some people, wearing diamonds is incongruent with their mental capacity. They can make wrong choices, err in judgment, fall into exaggeration, make mountains of a mole hill and exhibit an irrational approach toward love and romance. Without this knowledge, they might neglect the real culprit (the diamond) and seek to place blame where none exists. James Brahaa, Hindu Astrologer from San Diego, illustrates more examples of the ill effects of using the “wrong” gem.

Astrologically, pearls are ruled by the Moon which represents the unconscious, the watery emotional depths of your psyche, your relationship to the mother and the feminine. In an astrological birth chart, the moon’s placement is afflicted or weak if it’s positioned in an auspicious house, or when the ruling planet of an auspicious house is not well placed. Some psychological manifestations of a weak moon in a birth chart are moodiness, anxiety, irritability, indecisiveness, inconstancy, wavering heart and mind, lack of courage and immoral behavior. Under such circumstances, it is believed that your individual's life towards a more positive and peaceful existence.

However, the occurrence of natural pearls is extremely rare. Only one is several million shellfish is known to produce a perfectly round flawless large pearl. Hence, their high price. However, with technological advances in cultured pearl industry, some astrologers recommend cultured pearls from the South Seas, Japan and China.

A natural pearl should weigh at least two grams. Weights of four, six, nine, or eleven grams are acceptable. A cultured pearl, however, must weigh at least three to five grams. It must be set in silver and must touch the skin when worn.

The color orange and the number two are the primary cosmic color and number enhanced by the pearl.

Some Hindu astrologers recommend observance of certain rituals for effective use of the pearl’s healing qualities:

·                   Make sure the pearl is not pierced or drilled.

·                   Do not purchase pearls on Saturdays.

·                   Set the pearl(s) in silver and first wear it on a Monday (preferably) or Thursday evening.

·                    If you select a pearl ring, it’s best to wear it on a Monday morning during the time of the full moon, ideally during one of the constellations ruled by the Moon, such as Rohini, Hasta, Shravan, or Pushya or during Cancer, Pisces, or Taurus moons. Make sure the moon is not conjunct (or aspected with) a malefic planet when the pearl is first worn. 

·                    Place the pearl on the ring finger of either hand on  a Monday evening after moonrise.

·                     Honor your pearl with flowers and incense.

·                    Chant the following mantra 108 times: “Om som somaya namaha om” or “Om som chandraya namaha.”

·                   Stotra of invocation: “Om dadhi sankha tusarabham, chira arnava samudbhavam, namami sasinam soman, shambhor mukuta blusanam.”

·                   Within a week of installation, you may feel the effect of the pearl in your taste buds, blood, bodily fluids and the second chakra, (Svadtistana).

·                    Soak the pearl in a gold and mercury solution to increase its positive effects. To gauge the pearl’s quality, soak it in a solution of warm oil and salt. If natural, the pearl will not be affected.

·                    Also, if you rub a natural pearl with a dry cotton cloth containing rice, a genuine pearl will maintain its luster and color.

·                    You may cleanse your pearls by placing them in lightly boiling milk or water, in covered clay.

Thus, planetary gemology is an ancient healing art which can possibly benefit your wellbeing with the assistance of a Vedic or Hindu astrologer.