Tigers Eye Stone Facts

Tiger’s eye (also called as tiger eye, tigers eye, or tigereye), is a chatoyant stone that is primarily made of silicon dioxide (silica). The stone is banded with parallel lines of golden yellow and reddish brown or dark yellowish brown. Tiger’s eye derives its name from its reflective qualities and color that are strikingly similar to an actual tiger’s eye. There are unusual blue varieties that are referred to as “Hawk’s Eye”.

Hawk’s eye is banded with parallel lines of dark indigo-blue and greyish-blue. There is also striking reddish-brown, blue and green banded variety that is called “Marra Mamba” or Marra Mumba that comes from Hamersley Ranges or Hammersley Ranges of the Pilbara region (northern part of Western Australia). Red varieties of tigers eye gems are often created using heat-treatment in order to enhance their color.

This semi-hard material has a refractive index of 1.54 and hardness of 7 according to Mohs scale of hardness. Tiger eye consists of quartz or silicon dioxide which is colored by crocidolite and iron oxide. Crocidolite (riebeckite, blue asbestos) is a member of the amphibole group of minerals that is rich in sodium. Cracking of the crocidolite host rock is where this tigers eye forms, followed by the antitaxial deposition of columnar crystals of quartz from the surrounding silica-saturated fluids. To maximize the gem’s chatoyant quality, tigers eye stone is normally cut and shaped into a cabochon.

Tiger eye balances your emotions and brings clarity and focus to the mind. It opens system of circulatory to a more consistent and uniform flow. It offers protection during travel and helps you to obtain goals by taking direct action. The stone also promotes strength and balance to get through difficult phases of life. It is especially good for clear thinking and helps us to see problems objectively when confused or emotionally affected. Roman soldiers wore tiger's-eye for protection in battle.

By: Susan Ng

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Tiger’s Eye gemstone is a stone for Leo and Capricorn. Chrysoberyl cat’s eye is another more valuable and expensive chatoyant variety of gemstone.