Tigers Eye
About
Tiger's eye is a variety of quartz known for its chatoyancy (cat’s eye effect), created by fibrous inclusions of crocidolite that have been replaced by silica. Its bands of golden yellow, brown, and blue give it a unique appearance. Found primarily in South Africa and Australia, tiger's eye has been used throughout history as a protective stone.
Birthstones & Anniversaries
Tiger’s eye is not a traditional birthstone but is associated with the zodiac signs of Leo and Capricorn symbolising strength and resilience.
Crystal Healing Energy
The overarching theme of tiger’s eye is balance and courage. Its energy is grounding, yet it also fuels personal strength and confidence. Tiger’s eye is known for harmonising the dualities within us – balancing emotional highs and lows, and promoting clarity in decision-making. It carries a protective, stabilising energy that helps you feel secure and confident as you move forward. This crystal is often seen as a powerful ally for those looking to take decisive action with both courage and calm.
Facts
Chatoyancy: Tiger’s eye displays a unique reflective quality known as chatoyancy, giving it a silky appearance.
Crocidolite replacement: The fibrous structure of crocidolite (a blue asbestos mineral) is replaced by quartz, which retains the fibres, resulting in the characteristic chatoyant effect.
Major sources: The most notable deposits of tiger’s eye are found in South Africa, Namibia, and Australia.
Polishing: The stone is often polished to enhance its chatoyancy, resulting in a high sheen that highlights the contrasting bands of colour.
Science
Mineral: Quartz
Crystal System: Trigonal
Chemistry: SiO₂
Colour: Typically golden-yellow to brown with chatoyancy but can be blue.
Refractive Index: 1.544 to 1.553
Birefringence: 0.009
Specific Gravity: 2.64 to 2.71
Mohs Hardness: 7
TreatmentsGolden yellow and blue tiger’s eye is mostly untreated, although heat treatment may sometimes be used to create red tiger's eye. Honey coloured tiger's eye is typically bleached. Galaxy tiger's eye and any other tiger's eye colours other than blue and golden-yellow have been dyed.
SyntheticsSynthetic tiger's eye is not common due to the difficulty of replicating the unique chatoyancy effect.
ImitationsFibre optic glass imitations are used to replicate the chatoyancy of tiger’s eye, but they rarely achieve the same level of character and depth of natural tiger's eye.
similar materialsPietersite: A related quartz with fibrous inclusions that display a swirling, storm-like pattern.
Hawk’s eye: A blue variety of tiger’s eye, formed in a similar way but retaining the blue-grey hues of crocidolite.
Cat’s eye chrysoberyl: Another gemstone with a cat’s eye effect, though its chatoyancy is more pronounced and typically appears in greenish-yellow.
Tigers Eye Gallery
Why We love Tigers Eye
ChatoyancyThe silky shimmer of tiger’s eye is mesmerising and highly distinctive.
affordableTiger’s eye remains relatively affordable, making it accessible for various uses.
EnvironmentTiger’s eye is mined in relatively large quantities, ensuring an abundant supply with less environmental impact than rarer stones.
