But do gemstones really work?

Oddly enough, the role models for these young, impressionable minds are aging celebrities who appear to be successful in the public eye. For instance, the fortunes of film star Amitabh Bachchan are said to have turned after he started sporting a blue sapphire on his middle finger two years ago.

Likewise, the late Dhirubhai Ambani has been quoted as saying that he tasted success in business only after he was prescribed a yellow sapphire by an astrologer in Gujarat. There is also melody queen Lata Mangeshkar, who sports a huge diamond ring...

According to gemologist K.D. Desai, there is a "scientific basis" for the efficacy of gemstones. As one who claims to have researched extensively on the subject, he says that each stone has a characteristic colour with a certain wavelength.

"If those wavelengths pass through our nervous system, they act on a particular brain centre that affects the functioning of our physiological system," he explains. "So if the right gem is prescribed for the right person, gem therapy is bound to work."

There is an astrological aspect as well. "We have nine precious and semi-precious stones, each corresponding to a planetary influence." says Dr Desai. "If there is a certain planet whose influence is lacking at the time of a person’s birth, it is compensated by adopting the stone representing the planet."

Thus diamond is prescribed for those born in April, sapphire for the September-born, turquoise for the December-born, aquamarine for March, pearl for June, topaz for November, garnet for January, ruby for July, opal for October, and so on.

On the medical front, cats eye is supposed to cure heart ailments while coral offers to take care of blood pressure problems. Malachite is prescribed to those with kidney disorders, amber, to those suffering from jaundice, lapis lazuli to cure skin problems and moonstone, for improving memory power.

While astrologers would prescribe wearing these stones as rings and amulets, there are certain medical practitioners who insist that the best way to derive the curative powers of gems is by ingesting them. An Ayurvedic company in Delhi is known to prescribe gemstones ground into powder for various ailments.

Then there is ‘gem astrologer’ Dipti Kapadia who prescribes gemstones for colour therapy. "Even Feng Shui advises people to use different colours of semi-precious stones to improve their luck," she says. "Some people find it so effective that if I do not recommend a stone for their friends or relations, they tend to get disappointed. The fact is not everybody requires a stone at all times."

Like general medicinal drugs prescribed to cure ailments, gemstones too have their limited use and may not be necessary at all times. But the fact that money is spent behind acquiring a gem prompts people to go for the stones, even when not required, Kapadia explains.

"There is a common misconception that gemstones are prohibitively expensive and unaffordable," says Abdul Jabbar Khan, who runs the Gems and Diamond Institute in Mumbai. "The cost of a stone depends upon its quality, purity, colour and lustre. A ruby can cost anywhere between Rs 100 and Rs 100,000 !"