Here in Metro Manila, Feng Shui has become an influential part of many peoples' lifestyles, especially when it comes to the things they own and show. Despite this being outside of the realm of scientific gemology, we curiously wanted to understand how the mentality of Feng Shui affects Filipinos and Chinese jewelry buyers today. What does it mean when you purchase a diamond for the cultivation of good harmonious energy, as they would say?


 

We asked a local Feng Shui expert on what he thought of giving diamond rings as a gift, especially for people looking towards an engagement. In response to this question, the long-time practitioner of Feng Shui told us that diamonds for him symbolized a strong and lasting energy, that protects the couple for their entire lifetime, instilling fidelity and trust into the birth of a new committed relationship.

Apparently, he mentioned to us that when choosing a diamond engagement ring, the traditional solitaire or solo stone is by far the best choice, as it promotes the notion of "one and only", fortifying the strength and bond of a marriage.



The Feng Shui energy that emanates from a diamond is also heightened with single larger stones, rather than several smaller ones of the same total carat weight. He mentioned that one large stone, surrounded by several smaller melee stones is a better channeler for this energy compared to three medium-sized stones mounted side-by-side. It's often said that the number three is not good for relationships, and not a good number for any included property to be placed in a couple's bedroom.



Wedding bands are a trickier topic for Feng Shui practitioners, as the popular trend of "stackable" diamond wedding rings seems to cause trouble with the harmonic energy they prescribe. The fact that a single design is halved into two, creates a sense of tension and separation. This is highly dependent on the type of design in place though.

Aside from talking to us a bit about diamonds, he mentioned that many other popular crystals play a large part in driving good and positive energy (chi) around the household. Sapphires for example, promote devotion and loyalty, rubies increase one's sense of passion, and emeralds allow the induction of vitality into life.



Citrine has also been famously said to symbolize abundance, wealth or fortune. Despite it being a relatively affordable stone, the golden color of this quartz variety bodes well with the energies that many Chinese businesses seem to desire.

In any case, it was quite interesting to see how gemstones and crystals play a role in this practice that has captured the lifestyles of so many people here in the Philippines.

It's enough of a recurrence to note that many Filipinos seeking out gemological evaluation for their property, do so because the items currently in their possession were passed down to them from previous generations of their family. Inheritances, often called 'mana', or 'pinagmanahan' in the local Tagalog dialect, can sometimes be very tricky to self-examine, since no information was given as part of the acquisition, unlike when you buy a wedding ring or diamond bracelet from a jewelry store, the staff detail the item's characteristics to you using the best of their knowledge.



Occasionally, people can have hopes that the piece of jewelry they've just inherited, could fetch a large sum of money. The opposite is also true, in the sense that a recipient of an item could doubt its authenticity and therefore its value. This is particularly sensitive, when it comes to equally or proportionally dividing inheritance items among several parties. How would you divide things in a respectable, value-based equality without first knowing the worth of the items to be split?

Proportioning Inheritance Lots Fairly Can Be Very Challenging When Faced with Unknown Item Values. We Help by Providing Information Critical to Best Handling these Situations with Proper Awareness and Transparency.

Gemological laboratories like Gemcamp, have been able to help alleviate some of the stress and risks associated with inheritance division. We are indeed able to identify and valuate your various pieces of inherited jewelry or gemstones, so that your family can have a clear sense of their objective and financial worth in today's current markets.

It's also important to be aware of certain historical facts when it comes to inherited jewelry. Some items that were acquired by ancestors, were most likely cut or manufactured several decades ago. Certain sciences and technologies did not exist in those times. For example, for a long stretch of time, ruby and spinel were once considered to be the same stone. It was the advent of scientific gemology that separated these two gem species from each other by studying their chemical / atomic, optic and geological properties.

Simulant gemstones, such as flame-fusion corundum (ruby, sapphire) had also existed over a hundred years ago, so while gemology is a fairly new science- it's vital to remember that the intention of creating fake gemstones, has been around for quite some time. It's everyone's responsibility to know more about the precious treasures in their possession so that they can act accordingly in safeguarding, sharing or trading these items with the rest of society.

Many wonder about the current jewelry preferences of budding Filipino collectors and style aficionados from across the urban landscape. Most might tell you that common knowledge dictates diamond to stand out as a wide-spread favorite among the socialites of Metro Manila's bustling gala scene. This has been true for decades to be fair, and yet nowadays there are more and more people coming into the laboratory seeking help with assessing their colored stone jewelry items. We've been seeing rubies, sapphires, emeralds, jade, aquamarine, tanzanite and many other illustrious varieties of gemstone material. Occasionally some of them turn out to be synthetic after careful examination by our GIA graduate gemologists, however the ones that hold their identities as natural gems, are then also tested for the presence of treatments or enhancements. Procedures that improve the apparent clarity or color of gems, are a recurring observation in many of the commercial-to-mid quality stones we take into the laboratory.






Colored stone grading, unlike diamond grading, is a little less universally standardized in comparison. Despite this, a general consensus equates that stones of a more intense saturation, belonging to certain hues (and with more appealing tones) usually trend higher in the pricing scale. At the laboratory, we make use of the alphanumerical codes taught to gemologists at the Gemological Institute of America, each code represents a color-influencing trait of a gemstone. 'vslbG' for example, is an acronym for 'very slightly bluish green', one of the 27 possible hues assigned to gems on our report. Tone on the other hand, is depicted as a single digit number, ranging from 2 (very light) to 8 (very dark). Similarly, saturation stands on a scale as well, with grades ranging from 1 (grayish or brownish) to 6 (vivid). These three color trait indicators, give us guidance on how to properly evaluate the worth of colored stones, in coordination with other aspects like clarity, cut and carat weight.





At the laboratory, based in Quezon City, our G.G,'s are specifically trained to accommodate concerns from both the local and international gem trade. We provide assistance with gemstone identification in two forms- verbally delivered results or printed gemological reports. There are instances where people just want to find out or gain personal assurance about the identity of their item, and do not need printed documentation. Verbal results will save them on time and laboratory fees.





If you're in the area of Metro Manila, or nearby, and need your jewelry items examined for authenticity, please drop us a message on Facebook to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced gemologists.