Planetary Hours: When to Cleanse, Charge, and Start Wearing a Gem

Planetary hours are an old timing system that divides daylight and night into 12 unequal hours each and assigns each hour to a ruling planet. Jewelers and gem-carers use them to decide when to cleanse, charge, or first wear a stone because each planet traditionally represents certain qualities. Timing actions to a planet that “matches” a gem can help you be intentional and safe — for example, using the Sun’s hour to strengthen a ruby, or the Moon’s hour to recharge a moonstone. Below I explain how planetary hours work, how to calculate them, which gems suit which planets, and practical, safety-minded ways to cleanse and charge specific materials.

How planetary hours are calculated — and why that matters

Planetary hours are not fixed 60-minute blocks. They divide the interval from local sunrise to local sunset into 12 equal parts (day hours) and local sunset to the next sunrise into 12 equal parts (night hours). If sunrise is 6:00 and sunset 18:00, day hours are 60 minutes. If sunrise is 6:12 and sunset 19:45, the day lasts 13 hours 33 minutes (813 minutes); each day hour is 813 ÷ 12 ≈ 67 minutes 45 seconds. The first hour after sunrise is ruled by the planet of the weekday (Sunday = Sun, Monday = Moon, Tuesday = Mars, Wednesday = Mercury, Thursday = Jupiter, Friday = Venus, Saturday = Saturn). After that, follow the Chaldean cycle: Saturn → Jupiter → Mars → Sun → Venus → Mercury → Moon → repeat. You can calculate this manually using your local sunrise/sunset times from a weather app, then map the sequence to the hour blocks. Why it matters: the exact timing determines which planetary energy is active for your location, so align cleansing/charging actions to the correct hour for best symbolic match.

Planet-to-gem correspondences (practical examples)

• Sun: ruby, yellow sapphire, citrine. Example: a 1.5 ct ruby in 6×4 mm cut benefits from Sun-hour charging to emphasize vitality and durability. Use short, gentle sunlight; avoid prolonged heat on filled stones.
• Moon: moonstone, pearl, opal. Example: a 7 mm rose-cut moonstone pendant recharges in moonlight because the Moon correlates with water and subtle light.
• Mercury: agate, peridot, zircon. Example: a 2 ct peridot (8×6 mm) can be cleansed during Mercury hour to support clarity and communication.
• Venus: emerald (green gems), morganite, rose quartz. Example: a 0.75 ct emerald in a bezel set; Venus-hour care supports relationships and beauty—but avoid ultrasonic cleaning if the emerald is oiled.
• Mars: garnet, carnelian, jasper. Example: a 2.5 ct garnet ring designed for regular wear can be energetically reinforced during Mars time.
• Jupiter: sapphire (blue), amethyst, lapis. Example: a 3 ct blue sapphire (7×5 mm) may be charged during Jupiter hour to emphasize protection and expansion.
• Saturn: onyx, smoky quartz, hematite. Example: a heavy 10 mm smoky quartz pendant benefits from Saturn-hour grounding. Burying briefly in earth works well for grounding stones, but with care.

When to cleanse versus when to charge

Cleanse when the gem has accumulated physical dirt, oils from skin, or after intense emotional use. Charge when you want to renew the gem’s energetic intention—before wearing it for an important event, after cleansing, or when you acquire a new piece. Cleanse first; charging works best on a physically clean surface.

Practical cleansing methods tied to planetary hours (with safety notes)

• Physical cleaning (good for hard, non-porous gems): Use warm water, a drop of mild soap, and a soft brush. Suitable for diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and many hard zircons. Clean during the ruling planet hour if you want the symbolic match—e.g., clean a sapphire during Jupiter hour. Why: soap removes oils that block light and diminish sparkle; warm water loosens grime without stressing settings.
• Gentle steam/ultrasonic — be cautious: Safe for high-quality diamonds and some sapphires but avoid for emeralds (often oiled), opals, pearls, turquoise, and heat-treated stones. Use planetary hours only if you’re certain the gem and setting can tolerate these methods.
• Smudging or smoke cleansing: Use for delicate or porous stones (pearls, amber) that dislike water. Do this in the Moon or Venus hour depending on the association. Why: smoke removes energetic residue without chemical contact.
• Salt, earth, and burying — targeted use: Saturn hour suits burying in earth for grounding stones (hematite, smoky quartz). Do not use salt directly on silver or porous stones; salt corrodes metals and absorbs moisture into porous minerals.

Charging methods matched to planetary hours (and hazards)

• Sun-hour charging: Use for ruby, citrine, yellow sapphire. Place briefly in direct morning sunlight (10–30 minutes). Why short time? Heat and UV can fade or fracture heat-sensitive or hydrated gems (opal, emerald). For metals: 18k gold gets warmer faster than 14k; limit exposure to avoid soldered settings loosening.
• Moon-hour charging: Ideal for pearls, moonstone, opal. Leave overnight under moonlight, avoiding rain and damp. Why: Moonlight is gentle and less likely to dehydrate or fade hydrated stones compared with sunlight.
• Venus-hour charging: Use for rose quartz and emeralds. Place on a soft cloth during the Venus hour to emphasize beauty and wearability. Avoid heat; emeralds often contain oils and require gentle handling.
• Saturn-hour grounding: Burying for short periods (a few hours) can reset heavy, grounding stones. Wrap jewelry in a cloth to protect settings; remove after recommended time to prevent moisture issues.
• Using crystals to charge: Place your gem on a selenite slab during the Moon or Mercury hour for subtle clearing and charging. Why: selenite is soft and transfers no chemical risk to most gems. Avoid placing soft carvings or porous stones directly on rough mineral surfaces without a cloth barrier.

First wear: timing and checklist

When you first wear a piece, choose a planetary hour that matches its intent: Sun for vitality, Moon for intuition, Venus for relationships. Before you put it on, follow this quick checklist:

• Physically clean if needed (soap and water for hard gems).
• Inspect settings: prongs should be secure, especially for stones over 1 ct or unusual cuts (e.g., a 2–3 ct oval in four prongs).
• Charge according to the gem’s planetary match for 30–60 minutes (or overnight for Moon-ruled stones).
• Avoid first wear outdoors in extreme sun/heat if the stone is porous or filled (opal, emerald, turquoise).

Final practical cautions

Planetary hours are a useful system for intentional care, but always prioritize material safety. If a gem is porous, treated, fracture-filled, or set in a delicate alloy (18k gold without reinforcement, vintage silver with thin solder joints), skip harsh cleansers and long direct sunlight. When in doubt, clean gently and use moonlight or selenite for charging. The “why” is simple: the gem’s chemistry and construction determine what it can tolerate; planetary timing is an extra layer you add for symbolic resilience and intent, not a substitute for basic gem-care rules.