Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend!

shree yantra
A crystal Shree Yantra

The number of hours that my friends and I have spent In India, shopping for precious and semi-precious gemstones is truly shocking.

During our first visit to Jaipur’s infamous Gem Palace, after three cups of chai, three attempts to leave and six hours, we finally exited with booty in hand. I sheepishly report our shopping binges are a minimum of six hours, and the average amount of time has been upped many times.

During this last trip, when my friend Leslie called home every morning to speak to her kids, she was embarrassed having to report that her only exciting adventure and sight-seeing had involved the discovery of some fabulous jewelry. She begrudgingly gave up some precious shopping hours to ride an elephant at the Amber Fort in Jaipur.

Some of the gemstones mined in India include:

  • Agate
  • Aquamarine
  • Carnelian
  • Citrine
  • Diamond
  • Emerald
  • Garnet
  • Iolite
  • Kunzite
  • Lapis Lazuli
  • Moissanite
  • Moonstone
  • Obsidian
  • Opal
  • Pearl
  • Quartz
  • Ruby
  • Sapphire
  • Sunstone
  • Tiger’s Eye
  • Turquoise

Jewelry purchases from stores located in smaller cities are always a bit risky so precious gemstones are never a consideration.

One day in Rishikesh, my friend Kashmir purchased several crystal quartz Shree yantras. A couple of doors down, she spied the same Shree yantras, and while checking them out, the owner asked her if she would like to buy one. Kashmir showed the owner the ones she had just acquired, and after learning where she had bought them, he informed her that they were fake. He then proceeded to take out a device and tested the authenticity of the crystal quartz. Kashmir was astounded to learn that her Shree Yantras were made of glass! Borrowing the device, she marched back to the store that sold her the imitations, and demanded her rupees back.

Gemstone Detector

The device, called the Diamond Selector II, detects simulated stones and works not only on diamonds, but on all precious stones. Kashmir took a photo of the device and purchased one for herself and one for me from Amazon. Because of our Diamond Selectors, we will never been duped again.

When it comes to jewelry, I never travel with anything of value outside the United States. The main reasons are that I want to draw the least attention possible to myself and my belongings, and I do not want to risk losing or damaging any of my favorite pieces.

Many years ago, I discovered the best travel jewelry organizer on this planet! It is manufactured by the company PurseN. It offers several travel jewelry organizers in different designs and sizes. I love both my Tiara Weekender and my PrimaVacationer.

Description of the Tiara Weekender Jewelry Case

Our Tiara Weekender Jewelry Case is the ultimate accessory for a weekend getaway and ideal for keeping jewelry from getting tangled at home & on-the-go. Chic & compact, this origami-inspired case features 10 individual compartments with 6 built-in pouches and 4 removable pouches to organize Small to Medium sized jewelry.

Features:

  • 4 Single Side Built-In Pockets
  • 2 Single End Built-In Pockets
  • 4 Removable Pouches
  • 2 Middle Straps to Secure Removable Pouches
  • Padded Ring Strap
  • Clear View Windows
  • Expandable Zipper Bottom to Accommodate Larger Jewelry

Size Information:  3.5”H x 4.5”W x 4”D

Description of the Prima Vacationer Jewelry Case

Our NEW Prima Vacationer Jewelry Case is perfect for a vacation getaway and great for keeping jewelry from getting tangled at home & on-the-go. Chic & compact, this origami-inspired case features 16 individual compartments with 10 built-in pockets and 6 removable pouches to organize Small to Large sized jewelry.

The Prima Vacationer includes 4 revolutionary new necklace holder pouches designed to hold your necklaces in place and prevent them from tangling.

Features:

  • 4 Double Side Built-in Pockets
  • 1 Large Single End Built-In Pockets
  • 1 Large End Necklace Holder Pocket
  • 4 Removable Pouches
  • 2 Removable Necklace Holder Pouches
  • Padded Ring Strap
  • Clear View Windows
  • Expandable Bottom to Accommodate Larger Jewelry

Size Information:  5.5″ L x 5″ W x 3.5” H

The PurseN website offers great videos demonstrating how to pack their innovate, stylish, cool organizers. But the best buys are on amazon.com.