Tiger’s Eye is the best known variety of chatoyant Quartz (or Cat’s Eye Quartz). Tiger’s Eye, with its bands resembling the eye of a tiger, received its name due to this similarity. Tiger’s Eye is also called Crocidolite Cat’s Eye or African Cat’s Eye. Tiger’s Eye has rich yellow and golden brown stripes, with a fine golden luster when polished.

Legends and lore

Coveted since antiquity, Roman soldiers wore Tiger’s Eye for protection in battle. Due to its appearance, in the ancient world Tiger’s Eye was thought to be all seeing, offering protection during travel, and strengthening of convictions and confidence.

Many legends say that wearing Tiger’s Eye is beneficial for health and spiritual well-being. Legend also says it is a psychic protector, great for business and aids in achieving clarity of mind.

Today, crystal healers use Tiger’s Eye for focusing the mind.

Just the facts

Quartz gemstones are commonly separated into two groups based on the size of their individual crystals. The macrocrystalline Quartz (large crystal) group includes many popular gemstones such as Tiger’s Eye, Amethyst, Ametrine and Citrine. Cryptocrystalline Quartz includes species whose individual crystals are too small to be easily distinguished. Apart from being a variety within the group, Chalcedony is also a catchall term to describe cryptocrystalline Quartz and includes many gems that have been coveted since antiquity.

Tiger’s Eye is a pseudomorph (the result of one mineral replacing another) that contains oriented fibers of crocidolite that have been replaced by silica.

Tiger’s Eye displays chatoyancy (a vertical luminescent band like that of a cat’s eye). While Tiger’s Eye typically has lustrous alternating yellow or brown bands, varieties of chatoyant Quartz include a blue-green variety called Hawk’s Eye Quartz, a greenish-gray variety called Cat’s Eye Quartz and a reddish brown variety called Bull’s Eye Quartz or Ox Eye Quartz. Cutting is crucial with Tiger’s Eye because the rough crystals reveal little or nothing of the chatoyancy of the finished gem.

TIGER’S EYE Chatoyancy
Origins Australia, Brazil, India, Namibia & South Africa
Colors Found Blue-green, golden brown, green-gray & reddish brown
Family Quartz
Hardness 6.50 – 7.00
Refractive Index 1.53 – 1.54
Relative Density 2.58 – 2.64
Source: GemsTV.com

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