A name with a long history
Vaiduryam comes from the Sanskrit vaiḍūrya, which the Monier-Williams dictionary defines as "a cat's-eye gem" and, by extension, "anything excellent of its kind". The word passed through Pali as veḷuriya, and the English word beryl is traced to the same source. Malayalam Wikipedia adds the Sanskrit synonym mārjāranayana, literally "cat's eye". The name is used in Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam, across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
What makes a true Vaiduryam
The Tamil and Malayalam Wikipedia articles identify Vaiduryam as cymophane, the cat's-eye form of the mineral chrysoberyl. Its sharp band of light, called chatoyancy, comes from fine parallel fibres inside the stone. Other minerals, quartz for example, can show a similar band, so "cat's eye" on its own does not tell you the mineral. Before you buy:
- Read Species and Variety on the report. For Vaiduryam in the jyotish sense, look for chrysoberyl.
- Check the eye. Under a single light the band should be narrow and centred and should glide across the dome as you turn the stone.
- Colour. Honey, greenish and brownish tones are all seen. Ask for a video, because a still photo cannot show the eye moving.
- Verify. Enter the report number on the Check Certificate page. The certification and guarantee page explains the refund if a qualifying lab proves a stone synthetic. GemsMantra works with leading labs including GIA, IGI, GRS and GJEPC's IIGJ. Each stone's listing names the lab that issued its report and the report number.
The "milk and honey" test
Gem dealers use a simple test for chrysoberyl cat's eye. Hold the stone under a single light from one side: in a good stone, the half nearer the light looks milky while the far half stays honey-coloured, and the effect swaps when you move the light across. Quartz cat's eye tends to look duller and its eye less sharp. On the report, chrysoberyl reads a refractive index of about 1.74–1.75 and a specific gravity of about 3.7, while quartz reads about 1.54–1.55 and about 2.65. Those two numbers settle most doubts about a Vaiduryam.
Wearing customs, as traditionally stated
Vaiduryam is traditionally set in silver or panchdhatu and worn on the middle finger, first worn after sunset, with weight and timing confirmed by your astrologer. Ketu stones are chart-specific in tradition, so start with the free Gemstone Calculator or an astrologer consultation (₹499, adjusted against a purchase). Listings show carat and ratti, and the carat to ratti converter helps you compare them.
Price snapshot
On 24-Sep-2026, n = 2 cat's eye listings in the parent collection were in stock (Limited listings). Prices ran from ₹2,150 to ₹8,500, with a median of ₹5,325. This page shows exactly the same products as the Cat's Eye (Lehsuniya) collection, and prices change as stock sells, so the product grid is the live reference.
Read next
Astrological associations on this page describe traditional Vedic belief. Gemstones are not medicines, and no specific outcome is guaranteed. Regional names are given as recorded in the dictionaries and encyclopaedias cited; spellings vary by region.
