Tigereye

Scientific:

Tigereye is a quartz pseudomorph (replacement) after riebeckite. It is a
minor gemstone and is not very valuable. However, because it is so
desirable, it would be more valuable if it were not so abundant. The
hawk's eye variety is more rare and therefore more expensive.

Tigereye is light to dark brown with lustrous yellow to brown parallel
fibrous inclusions. It is vitreous (hard, un-bendable, glasslike). It
has strong chatoyancy (light reflection that moves when the stone is
moved or seen from different angle). Its fibers are twisted or crumpled
instead of straight and are a reminder of sand and sunlight.

Tigereye, hawk's-eye, bull's-eye quartz and cat's eye quartz only differ
in their background colors and that of their mobile reflections.

In this family of tigereye, when the background color is greenish gray
or green, the gem is known as cat's eye quartz. If the ground is
blue-gray or bluish, the gem is known as hawk's eye. A golden yellow
reflection on a brown or black ground is known as tigereye. A stone with
a mahogany color ground is called bull's eye or ox eye. Red tigereye is
not natural; it is usually heated which oxidizes the iron and turns it red.

These gemstones are usually cut in a cabochon (cut curved on top with a
flat bottom), which brings out the chatoyancy, the stones main
characteristic. Cutting it into rounded shapes brings out this mobile
reflection. When cut into larger objects this chatoyancy shows up in stripes.

Tigereye comes principally from South Africa. It comes in polished
shapes because of government restrictions that forbid the export of raw
materials. Raw (uncut) tigereye displays no chatoyancy. Tigereye is also
found in Australia, Burma, Namibia and California in the USA.


Because of its chatoyancy, tigereye should not be cleaned with alcohol
or abrasives. Goo Gone, or other oils are good for this stone.

Hardness:

6.5 - 7

Chemical Composition:

NaFe(SiO3)2 Sodium and iron with silicon dioxide (quartz)

History:

Tigereye made its gemstone debut sometime in the late 19th century.
Interestingly, it fetched several dollars per carat back then. A 1932
German book on gemstones (Bauer and Schlossmacher, 1932, 674) states
that in about 1880, tigereye sold for 25 to 39 Marks per carat, or
between $6.25 and $7.50 per carat - at a time when western American
miners usually fought in vain to earn $3.50 for a hard, dangerous,
10-hour day underground in rich gold and silver mines.

Tigereye is currently preferred by Americans and tiger's-eye by people
who speak English (as Anglophiles might say). In the past, American
publications have used a hyphen in both tiger-eye and tiger's-eye; the
South African government refers to it as the latter. An earlier but now
discarded term, griqualandite, has also been used as a synonym for
tigereye.

Myth:

Traditionally, tigereye has been favored as a gift between lovers. It is
said ease sexual tension and help partners tune in to each other in a
psychic or telepathic way.

Metaphysical:

Tigereye is very dramatic. We are often drawn to the rich golden glow of
this wonderful stone. Its tactile qualities speak to the sense of touch.
Every one wants to feel this stone as though it might be giving comfort
through it's cool smoothness that seems in strange contrast to its warm appearance.

A gift of tigereye is thought to ensure a couple's steadfastness and
loyalty to one another. Wearing tigereye helps one become an effective
helpmate. It pulls one into a more positive and flexible attitude and is
especially effective for those who are somewhat stubborn.

Tigereye connects the energy of the rich browns of the earth to the
golden energy of the sun or divine light. It seems to enhance the earth
personality in those that are attracted to it. (Earth or brown
personalities are the very models of reliability and solidarity. They
are like the salt of the earth, down to earth, safe. They show a great
deal of plain common sense, stability, practicality and peacefulness.
They are discrete, grounded and have strong sexual and emotional discipline.)

Tigereye is the stone of wealth and prosperity. Tigereye carried or worn
with malachite is said to insure success in all business ventures.

From the Magickal Glade archives: GROTW