Tiger's Eye Jewelry
A golden-brown quartz with a silky band of light that sweeps across the stone
Unearthed Gemstones Tiger's Eye Jewelry
Click the photos for a closer look of the jewelry pieces
Hardness
6.5 - 7 (Durable): Great for daily wear.
Toughness
Good (Generally resistant to chipping under normal wear)
Mineral Family
Quartz
Transparency
Opaque
Crystal System
Trigonal
Lustre
Silky
What Is Tiger's Eye?
Tiger's eye is golden-brown quartz with a silky band of light that sweeps across the stone as it moves, an effect called chatoyancy. It forms when quartz grows through parallel fibres of blue crocidolite that iron then stains gold, preserving the fibrous structure that bends light so beautifully. Roman soldiers reportedly carried it into battle. The world's main source is the Northern Cape of South Africa, with more from Western Australia. Heating natural tiger's eye produces the red version sold as red tiger's eye, a straightforward, disclosed treatment.
Is Tiger's Eye Durable Enough for Everyday Jewelry?
With a hardness of 6.5 to 7 and a tough fibrous build, tiger's eye is an easy stone for daily rings, beads, cufflinks and pendants. It must be cut as cabochons or polished shapes with the fibres aligned, because that rolling eye of light is the whole show. A well-cut stone winks at you from across the room.
How to Care for Tiger's Eye Jewelry
Care is simple: warm, soapy water and a soft brush.
How to Tell If Tiger's Eye Is Real
Fibre-optic glass imitations exist but look garishly bright and too perfect next to the real thing.
Gemstones Similar to Tiger's Eye
Hawk's eye is the unoxidised grey-blue version, pietersite the storm-patterned one, and tiger iron the banded rock that includes tiger's eye.
