Firstly I’d like to thank our outgoing secretary, Richard Shaw-Brown, for his tireless efforts in developing the PGA format and promoting its important knowledge and values world wide. His continued efforts today and in future will help to insure that the PGA will become an increasingly respected organization helping to promote this specialized field within the World community.

We members of the PGA have an opportunity together to promote the correct usage of gems in the fields of jyotish and ayurveda and to help insure that planetary gemology is seen as a bona-fide science and not something shrouded in mystery and superstition.

For at least the past 5000 years, since the beginning of the present age of Kali, much Vedic science has been lost, including the ancient practice of gem therapy. In modern times gems are valued for their beauty and portability as “concentrated wealth”, but the science of how gems react upon the human organism is known to very few. We are fortunate in having some scriptural references such as the “Garuda Purana” and “Indra Purana” to at least understand the particular cosmic/planetary rays they emit and certain rules as to cutting and treatment of the 9 primary gems, as well as others, but how they are actually recommended and the specific effects reaped by the wearers of these gems is not found in any of these scriptural references.

Many of the texts written solely about the use of gems in the past 5-6 centuries in India have been written by gem merchants and not by actually learned gem therapists, astrologers or doctors. Therefore much research is needed and this knowledge must be shared amongst all of us in order for this science to advance in the coming years.

It has been proven by the experiences, both good and bad, of many persons that the “anakul” system of recommending gems from a jyotish horoscope is the only safe means, as systems such as “pratikul” (recommending for evil planets) can cause great harm to wearers in various areas of their lives ruled by the respective planets.

We are now getting very good feedback from many esteemed astrologers world wide that this system is indeed one that has obviously beneficial results and none of the drawbacks of the other. After all, those of us who practice jyotish must know that bad advice or recommendations by us to those who seek our counsel will result in our own suffering in future, as the law of karma dictates. As we are able to teach students of jyotish and ayurveda these principles of the correct usage of gems in vedic science the PGA will become more and more an eminent organization in the eyes of the “vedic” world.

As equally important as being an educational institution, the PGA is also the most qualified organization in the world to be a “watchdog” organization. If the public has someplace to go to check on credentials of practicing PGs and PGAs they will get more confidence in not only us, but in the science of planetary gemology itself. Therefore it behooves all of us to never deviate from honest business principles in this field. A profit today, no matter how great, is not worth the loss of one’s good name and reputation tomorrow.

It is commendable that so many of our members can easily see the danger of using very flawed gems and that synthetic gems are utterly useless for our purposes, but we must also be unshakably honest in our business practices. It is a fact that especially in today’s economic climate it is getting more and more difficult to find high-end clientele willing to spend the money needed for truly top quality “jyotish” gems. Gems are rare and they are expensive due to that. Certified gems that are free from heat and other treatments also carry a premium in the trade. We cannot possibly provide say a top quality 1-2 carat “blood-red” ruby that is certified as natural and untreated in top clarity for anything less than $3,000 US per carat and goes way up from there. An eye-clean emerald of light color cannot be purchased by a retail buyer for much less than $1000 per carat and in better color the prices rise considerably.

Top quality in either of these gems can fetch a gargantuan price in larger sizes. Those of you who deal in the higher echelon of the international gem trade know this to be a fact. Far better to recommend an uparatna gem which is less costly that has excellent clarity and color than to sell an inferior quality “navaratna” gem that not only may harm the wearer, but will also ultimately ruin your reputation as an honest businessperson. It is important that we educate the public in gemstone quality and their value for people to have confidence enough to buy. If we are always honest then our reputations will always be impeccable and the PGA will become ever more respected due to the character of its members.

Many wealthy persons in India today, and around the world for that matter, still do not invest in top quality gems as they do not have enough confidence in the sellers that they will not be cheated. That is so even though they can easily afford the best and most potent gems available. Many that do understand gem quality will buy from recognized retailers, but have no knowledge that gems have any usage but for decoration or investment. The PGA can be a powerful force in changing this if we are seen as not only leaders, but impeccably honest ones in this field.

It is up to all of us to maintain the highest integrity in our work and business. We all know that deceitful practices are endemic in business generally in this day and age. Those of us who have been in the gem trade for many years know that misrepresentation is also a problem in the gem and jewelry trade. As other gem organizations world wide seek to establish principles of quality, pricing and fairness in trade by their members, we must also strive to develop the PGA as an organization that will not only be respected and trusted by its members, but to give the public the faith that they can trust our members implicitly, be it in correct prescription of gems from a horoscope or in the honest representation of gems we sell in our businesses.

Together we can advance the science of planetary gemology and help the purveyors of fine natural gems in our organization to become world renowned as the most honest and knowledgeable persons in this field on the planet. I wish to thank you all for the confidence placed in me as your new secretary and I promise to do my utmost to further the goals of the PGA any way I am able. I look forward to working with as many of our members as possible and I am always available to any of our members who may wish to correspond with me on these matters. Namaste.