Tiger's Eye
ExploreMineral
Tiger's Eye
Tiger's Eye is a golden brown stone that looks like a tiger's eye! It shines brightly in the light.
Appearance
The Tiger's Eye has striking golden-yellow to reddish-brown stripes that shimmer and move like a cat's eye when tilted. This unique optical effect, called chatoyancy, makes it distinct from other striped minerals.
KingdomAnimalia
Category
MineralRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
Be the first to snap!
Interesting facts
Ancient Roman soldiers carried Tiger's Eye for courage and protection in battle.
It can naturally form with a blue color, known by the cool name of Hawk's Eye!
It forms as crocidolite mineral fibers slowly turn into quartz, keeping their original shape!
Tilting Tiger's Eye makes its shiny band "move," just like a big cat's eye pupil!
Special abilities
Ability
Shimmering Stripes
Tiger's Eye's fibrous quartz structure makes light reflect in a dazzling, moving band, creating its unique "cat's eye" effect.
Ability
Color Changer
Tiger's Eye contains iron. Gentle heating makes it turn a deeper reddish-brown, creating new vibrant shades for cutting.
Ability
Durable Beauty
Its Mohs hardness of 6.5-7 makes Tiger's Eye very durable, resisting scratches and wear in jewelry.
Measurements & details
- Color Range
- golden-yellow, brown, reddish-brown, blue-grey
- Hardness
- 6.5
- Luster
- silky
- Specific Gravity
- 2.68
- Crystal System
- trigonal
Traits
Banded
Banded describes rocks or minerals characterized by distinct parallel layers or streaks of differing composition, color, or texture.
Colorful
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
Gemstone
A gemstone is a piece of mineral crystal which, when cut and polished, is used to make jewelry or other adornments.
Crystalline
Crystalline describes a mineral or rock composed of crystals, often exhibiting a regular atomic structure and geometric external form.
Also known as
Tiger Eye
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Handle gently and avoid sharp edges. Ask an adult before picking anything up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What colors can Tiger's Eye be?
golden-yellow, brown, reddish-brown, blue-grey
How hard is Tiger's Eye?
6.5
What kind of luster does Tiger's Eye have?
silky
What is Tiger's Eye's specific gravity?
2.68
What crystal system does Tiger's Eye belong to?
trigonal
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