gemstone

Polished tiger’s-eye

Tiger’s-eye, a chatoyant quartz variety (SiO₂), commonly pseudomorphic after crocidolite

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness 6.5–7 Mohs; brown to golden-brown silky bands, vitreous-to-waxy luster, opaque, with fibrous chatoyancy (cat’s-eye effect). Quartz has a trigonal crystal structure, but this shaped specimen is polished and lacks visible cleavage.

Identified September 4, 2026More gemstone →

Explore Polished tiger’s-eye in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Forms when crocidolite asbestos fibers are replaced and infused with silica during alteration, typically in iron-rich metamorphic environments; major deposits are Neoproterozoic to Paleozoic in age, especially South Africa and western Australia.

Uses & applications

Used for cabochons, beads, carvings, and ornamental objects; polished pieces are popular inexpensive collector and jewelry stones.

Geological facts

Its moving reflective band results from aligned parallel fibers, called chatoyancy. The brown variety is often associated with golden tiger’s-eye and blue hawk’s-eye in zoned material.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its parallel silky bands and a bright line that moves across the surface when rotated under a point light; it is much harder than wood and leaves a white streak on unglazed porcelain only with difficulty.