Thursday, 30 May 2013

Shradhavaan labhate gyanam

IIShradhavaan labhate gyanamII

This is a dictum that came into my reckoning as a piece of wisdom and transformed into a life changing philosophy. I am the founder of Astro Journey, an organisation dedicated to aiding the resurgence of Vedic wisdom.

I have a Masters degree in Business Administration but chose to dedicate my life and potential to infusing new life into the “pride of India” – The Vedic Way of Life! The conventional path is easy but I chose one that is not easy or easily understood and yet leads to greater common good. 

I started the organisation Astro Journey in the year 2000 (at the age of 23) and today it is a veritable force for knowledge, philosophy, spiritual practices as well as natural vedic gemstones, not just on the Internet but as a brick and mortar entity also. The two websites – www.astromandir.com and www.gemstoneuniverse.com have blossomed and are well known in the interested communities.

Gemstoneuniverse has been the recipient of “Excellence in Export Award” for two consecutive years – 2010 and 2011 by the GJEPC and Jewellers Association, Bangalore.

I am proud that my company has an unblemished record where best practices, equal opportunity, fairness and transparency are maintained.

I have made sure that each employee was sponsored by the company to acquire additional educational qualifications from esteemed organisations like GIA and PGA to maintain the high standards of service and delivery at the company.

I believe that any one can start and enterprise or initiative but it takes an extra edge to reawaken the pride in our heritage. 



Bio-Data
Arnav Medhi

Age:                                        35 years

Designation :                            Founder, CEO

Company name:                       Astro Journey

Nature of Business:                  Spiritual Service/ Vedic Philosophy/ Natural Gemstones

Edu. Qualifications:                  MBA, B. Com

Additional Merit:                       Certification from: Gemological Institute of America (GIA)
 

                                                                         Planetary  Gemologists Association, Thailand




About Astro Journey



About Astro Journey



Astro Journey is the parent company under the aegis of which function the web based firms, www.gemstoneuniverse.com  and www.astromandir.com . Astro Journey was founded in the year 1999 and since then has been doing pioneering work in bringing the Vedic wisdom to the world in many ways. The Philosophy of the company has been to widely disseminate, a sacred knowledge, a heritage that has been clouded by the new wave of consumerist and materialistic culture.

Vedic Philosophy has beautiful precepts that, if harnessed, can help optimise an individual’s life. Human resource is the most vital resource and its nurturance is foremost. While www.astromandir.com is the veritable knowledge arm of Astro Journey, providing indepth information, elaborating on Vedic and astrology based concepts, www.gemstoneuniverse.com provides, superior, natural, unheated, treatment-free, lab-certified gemstones for planetary gem therapy. Life can be looked at a gross level and then it can be assessed at a subtle level, where all is energy and where the gemstones radically enhance or bring out the dormant potentialities of an individual. Like said earlier, Human resource is the most vital resource and its nurturance is foremost.
We are proud to inform you that we have the World's largest facility for Planetary Gemstones and Jyotish Gem Therapy – a brick and mortar boutique store in Bangalore.

Gemstoneuniverse won the Export Excellence Award from Karnataka, for two years in a row – 2010 and 2011. The award comes in recognition for commitment to service, exceptional products, high quality and ethical standards apart from just reaching significant volumes. The award also acknowledges the exceptional product quality, world class certification and transparency in the complete Gemstoneuniverse process.

Gemstone Universe has a dedicated team of qualified astro-gemmologists, serving a diverse clientele all across the globe.

We are member of Planetary Gemology Association, Bangkok, Thailand. We follow PGA codes of professional ethics.

We are member of Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council, India

We are member of Directorate General of Foreign Trade

Proud Members of the International Gem Society


So why become a GG at the GIA?











So what are the benefits of becoming a GG at the GIA?

For some gem experts, a lifetime’s work and education within gemology already embellishes recognition within our field. Gem collectors understand the rarity of size and color in some of the most precious rocks on earth.

If you are wondering about those two abbreviated terms situated above, the GG is a Graduate Gemologist whilst the GIA refers to the Gemological Institute of America.

Any enterprise or genuine enthusiast pursuing a greater, wider appreciation and the recognition of their associates, peers and alike, should consider studying for a diploma through the GIA.

A Tradition Of Science and Education since 1931
Setting the example for gemology and academia worldwide, the GIA is renowned for being the number one institution.  To become qualified gem experts, our company TGGC chose only benchmark of expertise from the school setting all the standards for precious stones and jewellery.

Happiness is seamless with the power of knowledge
Following my 7-month term of education to study my GIA qualification, the GG course, to be a fully qualified Gemologist, and the foundation course, the AJP, I felt that it would be beneficial to qualify all of our presenters through the diploma.

This expands your own personal knowledge and has improved on our own presenters experience gained from over many years.  The course is split into three modules; Diamonds, Coloured Stones and a Jewellery module.

All of the modules contain a 50-queston exam, to sit at the end.  It is with pride for me to announce that all presenters passed the course with extremely high marks, showing their regard to gemology though passion and dedication.

Studying at the GIA provides our presenters with Accredited Jewellery Professionals diplomas and the knowledge gained adds real value to their professionalism and expertise when bringing Genuine Gemstones to our screens.

Matt Bennett

Cutting down diamonds: To share out the wealth of sparkling glory.



Cutting down diamonds: To share out the wealth of sparkling glory.

From the largest diamond ever discovered to the tiniest of little gems for your jewellery pieces, every last grain of diamond is pure, precious and remarkable.



The Cullinan diamond is the largest gem-quality diamond ever found, at 3106.75 carat. Cullinan I or Great Star of Africa, at 530.4 carats held title as the world’s largest cut faceted diamond. It wasn’t until 1985 that a new record was set, with discovery of another South African diamond gemstone of 755.5 carats. The stone of a darker, browner colour, , would later be cut into the 545.67 carats  
 Golden Jubilee.

The Crown Jewels, the Tower of London, are quite a collection; the 7 major stones cut from the Cullinan diamond and 96 smaller pieces are all kept within these vaults. Of the stones, 7 were cut for Edward VII by Messers I. J. Asscher of Amsterdam, with the following 96 purchased and presented to Queen Mary as a gift of South Africa. 

·          Cullinan I of 530.2 carats is a pear cut diamond, and set within the head of the Royal Sceptre with the Cross. It may also be hung as the pendant from the Cullinan II in a brooch.

·          Cullinan II, a 317.4 carats rectangular cushion is set into the front of The Imperial State Crown.  The crown consists of precious gems, including 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and 5 rubies.  

If you would ever need proof that your gemstone rings were worth more together, then rather breaking into fragments from that antique, then think again.

There is always the worry however of what diamonds will be worth in the future, and if there are any diamonds left undiscovered?
Russia is home to what gemstone experts and scientists claim could be the largest deposit of gemstones known to mankind.  A deposit of industrial diamonds in a huge Siberian meteorite crater found during Soviet times and kept under wraps for decades could revolutionise industry.

The Siberian branch of Russian Academy of Sciences said of the Popigai crater in eastern Siberia genuinley contains “many trillions of carats” of what are known as “impact diamonds” that are used in industrial equipment and not for jewellery.  The deposits of Siberia are far exceeding the currently known global deposits of conventional diamond. Gems experts it seems will have to hold out until there is a gemstone find far greater then the Cullinan diamond yet.

Written by Xena Sadovsky

Wednesday, 29 May 2013

Citron Feldspar Fact Sheet

Citron Feldspar

The finest clarity our gemologist have ever witnessed in a Feldspar

Key Features
  • Luminosity defined
  • Much more intense saturation than any other yellow gemstone
  • Very lively brilliance
  • Fantastic Clarity
  •  If Citrine is said to make you smile, this will leave you gleaming

A gemstone featuring 3G!!!! - Glowing – Glistening – Glimmering – What we have come to say at the Gems TV (Rocks TV) – It Glows, it glistens it glimmers.

Region 
Sahatany Valley, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar

Characteristics
Mid to golden yellow, it is perfectly transparent with a vitreous luster.
The gemstone was named as ‘Citron’ because Madagascar is a French speaking country and as the gem was discovered, the mine owner described it as a distinctive citron color.

History
Feldspar is the most common mineral on earth. In fact nearly everything in the earths has some form of feldspar within or close to it. However, to source such an extremely high quality of colour is not something that occurs everyday. In fact it has taken us 8 years to secure a parcel.
When gemologists think of a feldspar, they think of gemstones such as labradorite, sunstone or aventurine. Gemstones that are extremely heavily included to almost opaque. So when you take a look at our Citron Feldspar, you cant help but be amazed by its unbelievable clarity and transparency for a Feldspar.

Mining
Mining of this gemstone is underground tunneling along with very tough rocks. The is due to the pegmatite formation.
The mine we sourced this gemstone from has found only 1 pocket in 3 years.
Thankfully due to our very close contacts in Madagascar due to Steve’s trip over to Madagascar, as soon as this pocket was discovered we got to hear about it first.

Why Is It Rare?
The fact that only one pocket has been found in over 3 years, makes this gem a one off opportunity and a secondary discovery is highly unlikely.
Imagine the size of the planet, then imagine one small pocket of gemstones, no larger than the size of a standard wardrobe. But this small wardrobe is buried beneath the Earths surface and the words “needle in a haystack” don’t even come close.

Availability
May not be discovered again

Why Buy?
Rarity – to find a quality of feldspar such as this really is a once in a lifetime chance
World premiere – We don’t believe a quality of feldspar such as our Citron Feldspar has ever been set into jewellery before
Colour – No other colour that is this pure in yellow (yellow labradorite has more of a subtle saturation whereas citrine has much more oranges within the yellow)
Clarity – when you consider the clarity of all other feldspars, our Citron Feldspar is a true treasure of mother nature with a truly loupe clean clarity.

What Does It Look Like?