Tiger’s Eyes 虎眼石

Deposit sites: West Africa, Brazil, Sri Lanka, South Africa, India, West Australia, and U.S.A.

Variety/Species: Quartz

Hardness: 7

Zodiacal sign: Gemini, Leo, Libra

Color scheme: Brownish yellow to brown to reddish brown.

Gemstone of the month: November, 12th Wedding Anniversary

Tiger’s-eye is a form of quartz in gold, yellow and yellowish brown colors. A highly decorative stone, tiger’s-eye is very popular in the form of cameos, cabochons, and intaglios. Its name is derived from the “cat’s eye” appearance which occurs when the stone is cut at a certain angle. When cut en cabochon, the surface shows chatoyancy reminiscent of the eyes of a cat. The eye will move when the stone is turned from side to side.

The golden brown bands shimmering in the light are a result of light reflecting off mineral fibers trapped inside quartz. The combination makes tiger’s-eye the wildest member of the quartz family. Historically, tiger’s-eye is used as a mind stimulate, a combination of earth and sun which would be practical decision making and creativity.