Must planetary gems, not talismans containing them, touch on the skin?

Fine Navaratna Talisman from the AGT Collection

I would like to address the sometimes presumption that gems, not gem set talismans, MUST touch on the skin, as some claim this to be going by the book. Because I have read many things from Mani Mala to Agni Purana, from Brihat Jataka to the works of contemporary scholars such as Dr. AK Bhattacharya and Dr Mahan Vir Thuli, but I am less impressed by some other books people might swear by in matter of Planetary Gemology.

In highly regarded Mani Mala it is clearly stated that Ratna Daan (donating gems) and Ratna Daran (wearing gems) are the two bone fide ways of using gems in astrological gem therapy.

If a planet is bad for a person then there is Ratna Daan. For example, if one has a Rahu problem they should donate the Gomeda gem to a leper on a Saturday evening with Rahu's mantra. But if Rahu is favorable they could wear the Gomeda gem on their body, as a pendant or ring. Or they could keep in their temple and worship.

In the first case of donating there is no possibility of the gem touching the skin as the jewel in question has been donated and given away. So what about that case?

Mani Mala opines that DONATING GEMS correctly, to proper recipient, on appropriate day and time, will produce favorable life outcome for the giver, by pacifying their ill placed planet(s). All without any physical contact with the donated jewel after giving. Ratna-daan is bona fide ratna vijnan.

Fine quality Gems are 'astrological' - and as we are influenced by planets without touching them physically, in the same way gems work as either a donation or a talisman to wear or as an object of worship in the temple. This is because they are astrological, not mundane. It is not that the gem must touch on the physical planet on the one side, and then, reaching through space, must touch one's physical skin on the other side.

As well, flat bottom or cabochon cut gems can never touch onto the skin in a setting, because there must be a base to support the gem. So does that mean that only deep bottom gems can be used? No. Historically ancient gems were mostly cut as cabochons.

Favorable results from actual use by many thousands of friends shows that talismans may be worn, or kept in a temple, or donated to another person, and in usual cases there will be good astrological life result. Therefore we concluded the idea that gem itself must press into the body skin in order to be effective is a mundane (non astrological) idea, and is the same logic as to drive a car the engine itself must touch one's body.

Who is able to understand how the Moon moves billions of tons of water without physical contact (lunar tides)? Or how, for example, a ruby can have a tangible effect, in spite of its not touching on the Sun planet by making direct contact with the Sun.

Without impossibly touching the Sun planet, ruby still works. And Ruby works when used astrologically by a person who either donates it to a qualified leader, or keeps in one's temple and worships it, or wears it on one's body in a gold talisman.

Conclusion is that either by donating gems properly or by wearing gems correctly there will be helpful astrological life effects.

So in the case of wearing gems, the jewel is in the setting, as close to the body as reasonable, and the entire gem empowered 'Talisman' is touching on the body

Richard Shaw Brown. GG(GIA),PG, Assistant Secretary of the Planetary Gemologists Association.