Natural Hessonite (Gomed) Stone in Pakistan

The stone

Hessonite is calcium-aluminium garnet (grossular) coloured by small amounts of iron and manganese. Its colour runs from golden honey through orange to deep cinnamon and reddish brown. At about 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale it is hard enough for a ring worn with some care. Since it belongs to the garnet family, you can compare it with the red stones in our garnet collection.

Ceylon and African Gomed

Sri Lankan hessonite has long been the reference in South Asia, usually in clear honey and orange tones. Stones from Tanzania, Kenya and Madagascar tend to be deeper cinnamon to reddish. Origin by itself does not settle quality; colour, clarity and cut count for more. When we know where a stone came from, the listing says so.

Picking a good Gomed

• Colour: a warm, even honey or cinnamon that stays lively indoors is what you want. Very dark, muddy stones are worth less.
• Clarity: under a loupe hessonite nearly always shows a swirly, "treacly" texture, like oil stirred into honey. That is normal, and actually helps show the stone is natural.
• Cut: a well-proportioned stone returns light; a poorly cut one looks dull or dark in the middle.
• Size: bigger clean stones cost more per carat, and you can compare listings by dividing price by weight.

Glass sold as Gomed

Orange-brown glass is the usual imitation. Glass often has round gas bubbles and swirl lines that look quite different from hessonite's grainy, wavy texture. It warms up quickly in your hand, while garnet stays cool longer, and it chips easily along facet edges. Gomed is also sometimes confused with citrine or brownish topaz, which are different minerals. Independent testing is always an option, and our guide to checking a gemstone before you buy covers the basics.

Gomed in Vedic astrology

In Vedic astrology Gomed is the gem of Rahu, one of the nine navagraha. It is traditionally set in silver or panchdhatu and worn on the middle finger, and families who follow the custom usually speak to an astrologer first. Rahu's stone is often discussed alongside cat's eye (Lehsunia) for Ketu. These are traditions and beliefs, not guaranteed outcomes. See gemstones and the planets for the full set.

Care and ordering

Clean hessonite with warm soapy water and a soft brush, and avoid sharp knocks. We check every stone before listing it. Delivery is a flat Rs. 500 by insured, tracked courier: Karachi usually 1 to 2 working days, other major cities 2 to 4, smaller towns up to about 7. Pay Cash on Delivery after checking the stone, and return it unused within 7 days.