Gemstone correspondences for the planets
In case you haven’t been paying attention, my most current project is Good Glyph: planetary signet rings on Kickstarter! This is a collection of sterling silver signet rings with designs of the astrological (and astronomical) glyphs of the seven traditional planets: the Moon, the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. One of the most popular rewards is a planetary signet ring with a corresponding gemstone. These are not astrologically elected talismans but are rather devotional tools, that definitely could be ensouled by a practitioner in their own ritual & timing or simply worn as is.
As a jeweller & gemologist, I have a specific take on this because my choices are informed by my desire to create a long-lasting & wearable jewellery object. Here I will explain my choices for the gemstones corresponding to the seven traditional planets because a few of them diverge from traditional sources such as the Picatrix.
As well as referring to several books & talks, I’ve taken into consideration the following factors: durability, availability, and affordability.
Durability
To be worn daily on the hand, a stone should be of a certain hardness, at least a 6.5 on the Moh's scale. This is because dust, sand, pocket lint, and almost all the grime and dirt we come into contact with, is made up of silicon dioxide. Silicon dioxide aka quartz has a hardness of about 6.5 and so stones that are at least that hardness will keep their facets crisp for much longer.
This means gems like pearl, fluorite, and moonstone, which are softer than quartz, are not best suited for rings because they are much easier to damage and over time, even if cared for, they will wear down from daily wear. Moonstone for instance is not often faceted (though it looks stunning when it is) because the facets will wear down rather quickly if worn everyday in a ring.
Availability
Some stones are much more difficult to find as faceted cuts in small sizes. Moonstone and carnelian for instance, are difficult to consistently source as 2.5mm diameter round faceted cuts.
Affordability
Rubies (the Sun & Mars), emeralds (Venus & Mercury), diamonds (Venus) and sapphires (Saturn & Jupiter) even in small carat sizes would increase the price beyond affordability for most folks but are definitely on the table for the deluxe custom ring rewards! In fact, Alexandrite, one of the most valuable coloured stones of all, would be a perfect stone for Mercury as it changes colour depending on the light source and I think that is such a lovely metaphor for Mercury’s ability to change from day to night sect.
The Moon signet ring shown with pearls, shell and quartz
Moon - White Sapphire
This may not be a commonly seen stone for correspondence to the Moon. Most often we see pearl or moonstone, but unfortunately these are both so very soft (which is another reason why they correspond so nicely with the Moon. Most laypeople don’t know that sapphire, the mineral name of which is corundum, is a colourless & clear material in its purest form. Corundum is chemically known as aluminium oxide and when it has traces of the element chromium, it is a rich, bright red known as ruby. When it has traces of iron and titanium, it is a range of beautiful blues from cornflower to indigo. Sapphire can also be found in almost every other colour in the rainbow!
This is a feature that corundum shares with quartz, also known as (rock) crystal, which is a stone commonly associated with the Moon. For instance, amethyst and citrine are both varieties of quartz tinted by other trace elements. I find this ability of both sapphire and quartz to take on the characteristics of other planets via trace elements a beautiful parallel to the Moon’s nature as a messenger or mediatrix. For this reason, as well as durability and availability, white sapphire is my choice for the Moon.
Sun - Citrine
The Sun signet ring shown with citrine, amber, ruby, gold, and frankincense
I commonly see citrine associated with the Sun because of its rich, golden colour. Interestingly, a lot of citrine on the market is the result of heat treating other quartz varieties which reminds us of the burning power of the Sun! Citrine is also sometimes listed as a gem for Jupiter, the Greater Benefic. Citrine has historically been used as a simulate of Imperial Topaz, another stone associated with both the Sun and Jupiter. Ultimately, I chose citrine for the Sun for the golden yellow colour.
Mercury - Peridot
The Mercury signet ring shown with fennel, lavender, banded agates, and peridot
Peridot is the birthstone for the month of August, which contains the first decan (ten degree portion) of Virgo, one of the two signs ruled by Mercury. Peridot is a stone that is brought to the surface of the earth by volcanic activity and is known for its distinctive bright yellowish-green colour. From Stockinger’s Stars & Stones, “…it is utilised to to enhance our ability to communicate and it thought to be able to create and to strengthen friendship. It is also believed that peridot can help to make the wearer more assertive and improve their self-confidence.”
Venus - Aquamarine
The Venus signet ring shown with aquamarine, garnierite, rose quartz, and rose
Aquamarine, meaning “sea water”, brings to mind the Orphic Hymn to Aphrodite, which identifies her as “sea-born” and “rejoicing in the azure shores, near where the sea with foaming billows roars”. Aquamarine is a beryl, the cousin to emerald, another Venusian stone. It is found in a range of pale blue to green colours, reminiscent of the ocean’s waters. Aquamarine is more tenacious (less likely to chip or crack) than emerald however, and is plentiful and affordable, where emerald of high quality is increasingly rare and expensive. Aquamarine is the birthstone assigned to March — Venus is exalted in the sign of Pisces and the final two decans of Pisces are in the month of March.
Mars - Garnet
I just adore garnets. Garnets are most recognisable in their red forms: almandine, pyrope, and rhodolite, but due to their chemical ability of isomorphous replacement they’re also found in black, green, and orange varieties. There are even rare colour-changing garnets! Almandine garnet is a beautiful, dark wine-red with a subtle inner fire, calling to mind blood or pomegranate. Garnet is the birthstone assigned to January — Mars is exalted in the sign of Capricorn and the final two decans of Capricorn are in the month of January. Garnet has long been associated with warriors and is said to aide in the healing of wounds. Perfect for Mars.
Jupiter - Amethyst
Amethyst is mined from many places around the world and one large deposit is nearby where I grew up. Amethyst was my first crystal and the one that started me on my path to working with gems and learning gemmology! Amethyst is the birthstone assigned to February — Jupiter is in domicile in the sign of Pisces and the first decan of Pisces is in the month of February. Amethyst is said to promote sobriety and through it’s connection to the health of the liver, it is connected to Jupiter & his son Bacchus/Dionysus.
From International Gem Society:
Long ago, a beautiful maiden was on her way to worship at the Temple of Diana. However, she had the misfortune of crossing paths with the god of wine, Bacchus. Angered since he'd just suffered some slight, he'd vowed to take revenge on the next person he met. He spied the maid and unleashed his two guardian tigers upon her. As the great beasts bounded towards the hapless lass, the goddess Diana intervened. To spare her such a terrible fate, she turned her into a pure, clear stone.
Immediately, remorse seized Bacchus. To atone for his actions, he poured his wine over the stone, staining the crystal a deep, violet hue. And so, the maiden Amethyst lent her name to the crystal.
Saturn - Black Spinel
Spinel is an underrated gemstone and most people haven’t heard of it, but it is commonly passed for ruby or sapphire in many royal jewels. The Black Prince’s ruby, set in the Imperial State Crown of the United Kingdom is in fact a spinel. Spinel occurs commonly where sapphire is also found, though it is a different chemical makeup and crystal form. Black spinel facets beautifully & is opaque and glossy. It is perfect to represent Saturn in lieu of black onyx which is often pale coloured or lower quality agate or chalcedony that has been dyed black.
The Saturn signet ring shown with black onyx, larvakite, a tooth, black salt, and black leather
So there you have it, a breakdown of each planet and stone correspondence for this project! Next up (if I reach my first Kickstarter stretch goal) I will propose some correspondences for the 3 modern planets: Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, as well as Chiron, the most well-known of the Centaurs. (Pluto of course is disputed as a planet but for the purposes of astrology they will retain that title.)
References & Resources
Atrell, D. & Porreca, D. (2019). Picatrix. Penn State University Press.
Stockinger, P. (2016). Stars and stones: An astro-magical lapidary. Mandrake Of Oxford.
Lecouteux, C. (2012). A lapidary of sacred stones: Their magical and medicinal powers based on the earliest sources. Inner Traditions.
The Celestial Lapidary: Beyond Birthstones by Austin Coppock
