gemstone

Tumbled tiger’s eye

Tiger’s-eye quartz (SiO₂), chatoyant quartz with crocidolite pseudomorphs

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Mohs hardness 6.5–7; golden-brown to reddish-brown bands, vitreous-to-silky luster, cryptocrystalline quartz, no prominent cleavage, specific gravity about 2.64–2.71. The polished curved surface shows a reflective cat’s-eye band (chatoyancy).

Identified August 20, 2026More gemstone →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Forms when fibrous blue asbestos (crocidolite) is replaced by quartz while retaining its fibrous structure, commonly during weathering and hydrothermal alteration. Most gem-quality material is Precambrian, especially from South Africa and Western Australia.

Uses & applications

Used for cabochons, beads, carvings, tumbled stones, and inexpensive jewelry; also collected as a decorative gemstone.

Geological facts

Its moving silky stripe results from aligned microscopic fibers reflecting light. Golden tiger’s eye commonly develops from blue-gray hawk’s eye through oxidation of iron.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its golden-brown parallel bands and sharp moving light streak when rotated under a point source; it is denser and harder than glass and usually lacks conchoidal transparency. Major sources include South Africa, Australia, India, Namibia, and the United States.