If you are considering buying a Hessonite Gem, commonly known as Gomed stone in India, you are not alone in asking the question, “how to identify Gomed?” With its warm honey tones and deep spiritual significance, this Rahu stone has captivated hearts for centuries. But in today’s gemstone market, spotting a real gemstone from a fake one can be surprisingly tricky, and that is precisely why you have got this guide.
Let’s take a journey together through everything you need to know about how to identify original Gomed stones, whether you are purchasing a Gomed ring, investing in a loose gem, or just curious and need to know the difference between real and fake gomed stone.
Why Hessonite Stone Identification Matters More Than You Think
In Vedic astrology, Gomed is no ordinary gemstone. It is deeply connected to Rahu, the shadow planet known to bring both chaos and transformation. The right original Gomed stone can help calm disturbing energies, boost confidence, remove mental confusion, and bring stability to life. But remember, the keyword here is “right.” A fake Gomed or an untreated, synthetic version won’t bring you those astrological benefits. Wearing a wrong or fake gemstone will do nothing apart from shaking up your belief on our rich Vedic astrology principles, because it will serve you no Gomed stone benefits.
So how do you ensure you are purchasing an original Gomed stone? Below are some factors to closely inspect while you are looking for signs of a genuine Hessonite:
1. Colour:
A real Hessonite gem has a rich, warm hue, something like cinnamon brown, honey yellow, reddish-orange, or golden amber. Its colour should be evenly distributed and should glow softly when light hits it. Hessonite stones do not usually show major colour zoning and have a vitreous shine. But, remember: If the stone appears pitch black, overly glassy, or too flawless, or shows major colour zoning, chances are that it’s synthetic or fake.
2. Inclusions:
Many first-time buyers take a flawless stone as a sign of quality, when in fact, minor imperfections are what make a gemstone real.
A natural Gomed stone would have formed deep within the Earth, which usually creates some minor internal characteristics during the natural process, known as inclusions. These are basically small, little marks/patterns in the gem and one of the best signs indicating that it's natural and not lab-grown.
If you have a jeweller’s loupe or even a simple magnifying glass, take a close look inside the stone. In a genuine Gomed, you may notice:
- Thin, thread-like lines
- Wavy or syrup-like patterns, often described as a “heatwave effect”
- Tiny crystal or mineral particles inside the gem
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Small bubble-like cavities (which are natural air pockets formed during its creation)
Now, here’s an important detail: These inclusions are not flaws. They represent natural marks that indicate the stone has not been made in a factory, and should be looked upon as the stone's birthmarks.
While high-quality Hessonite stones like Sri Lankan Hessonite (Siloni Gomed) might have fewer inclusions than African Gomed, they are still an inherent part of natural gemstones, and it's usually not possible to find one without even a speck of inclusion.
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Beware of Artificial Inclusions
Some fake gemstones today are made to look real by adding air bubbles or fake inclusions inside them. Sellers may even claim that these are natural, but there’s a simple way to tell the difference:
- In natural Gomed, these bubble-like features are irregular in shape and randomly spaced.
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In fake or synthetic stones, these bubbles are mostly perfectly round, and often are not only arranged in a pattern, but close to each other as well, which is not how nature works!
Thus, when looking at a Gomed specimen, you should have a sharp, observant eye. Natural inclusions will generally appear uneven and unique, while artificial inclusions will often look perfect.
3. Hardness and Durability
Hessonite gem belongs to the garnet group of stones and has a hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. This implies:
- It can scratch glass or a copper coin
- It will not easily get scratched by softer materials such as nails, wood, or plastic
At home, a gentle test can be performed using a glass surface. If the stone is able to make a fine scratch on the glass, then it might be real. But this test must be performed very gently, ideally on the back side of the stone, so as not to damage it.
4. Weight and Density
Another tip for spotting the original Gomed stone is its weight. Natural Gomed is heavier than it looks due to its high specific gravity (3.65 to 3.75).
Fake or synthetic stones (especially those made of glass or resin) will feel surprisingly light as compared to the original. You can also get a specific gravity test done to confirm this at a gemstone testing lab.
5. Refractive Index & Spectroscopy
If you really want to go deep into the hessonite stone identification process, professional tests are your best friends:
- Refractive Index of real Gomed ranges between 1.732 to 1.760
- Under a spectroscope, authentic stones show distinct absorption lines in the yellow and blue spectrum
These tests can only be performed in labs, but they are the gold standard when you are unsure how to check original Gomed stone online or offline. That’s why we always stress on the importance of a certification from a reputable, well-known gem testing lab (not a dubious one), to identify real gemstones, which brings us to our next point.
6. Gemstone Certification
No matter how good you get at hessonite stone identification, nothing beats a certificate from a trusted gemological lab.
Labs like IDT Gem Testing Laboratory (with centers in India and abroad) can test your stone and give you a report that covers:
- Chemical composition
- Authenticity verification
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Any treatments applied
It’s your safety net, especially if you are buying a Gomed ring online.
How to Test Gomed Stone at Home (Safely)
Here’s a quick checklist of things you can do at home:
- Inspect colour: look for honey tones, avoid pitch black
- Look for inclusions under a magnifying glass
- Lightly test hardness (carefully!)
- Check weight and warmth
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Use a flashlight to see how light passes through
But if you still have doubts? Get it tested in a reputable lab. That’s how you identify original Gomed stones with confidence.
Conclusion
Buying a Gomed isn’t just about buying a stone; it’s about inviting transformation into your life. This Rahu stone has the power to shift energies, bring clarity, and clear mental fog, but only when it’s the original Gomed stone. So, whether you are buying your first Gomed ring or simply curious about the Gomed stone benefits, make sure the gemstone you are choosing is as real as your intentions.
As a reminder though, in the realm of gemstones, authenticity is everything.
FAQs
How to identify an original gomed stone?
A real Gomed stone has a warm honey-yellow to reddish-brown colour with a natural, consistent shine. If you look through a magnifying glass, you will be able to see natural imperfections such as thread-like lines or swirling patterns. This can be one of the signs that it is a real stone. A real gomed is also heavier than it looks, and it doesn’t generally have perfectly rounded air bubbles like some of the replicas & fakes. These signs help, but the best indicator is a certificate from a reputable gemological lab, which is a full guarantee of quality and originality.
What is the difference between Gomed and Garnet?
Gomed refers to a particular type of garnet, called Hessonite Garnet in scientific terms. Thus, technically speaking, all Gomed stones are garnets, but not all garnets are Gomed. Gomed is distinguished by its warm, honey-like colour and its spiritual association with the shadow planet, Rahu in Vedic astrology.
What is the difference between Gomed and hessonite?
There is no difference. Gomed is simply the Hindi or Sanskrit name for Hessonite. Both refer to the same gemstone, a type of grossular garnet associated with Rahu in Vedic astrology.
Which country’s Gomed stone is best?
Sri Lankan Gomed is viewed as having the highest quality, high clarity, fewer inclusions, and deeper rich colour. African Gomed is also available but it generally has more inclusions, and is therefore of slightly lower quality than the Sri Lankan variety (Siloni Gomed).
What is the best colour of hessonite?
The most desirable Hessonite stones show a rich cinnamon brown, honey yellow, or reddish-orange hue with a warm, glowing undertone. The colour should be evenly spread across the stone. Avoid stones that are pitch black, too glassy, or overly flawless as these are often synthetic or fake.