Terrific Tigers Eye
Tiger's Eye is an incredibly unique semiprecious stone displaying fiery hues of gold, orange, brown, and red in an appearance indicative of tiger stripes.
With a silky lustre and stunning chatoyancy/ Cat's Eye Effect, this stone is famous for its striking, shimmering aesthetic.
What Is Tigers Eye Made Of?
Tiger's Eye is a unique form of fibrous Quartz which displays chatoyancy.
As a mineral belonging to the Quartz family of minerals, Tiger's Eye is made primarily of silicon dioxide.
It is thought that iron oxides such as limonite create the signature gold, red, yellow, and brown hues of Tiger's Eye.
Tigers Eye Chatoyancy
Tiger's Eye can also be described as Chatoyant Quartz: in fact, this stone is famous for its chatoyancy.
A chatoyant gemstone such as Tiger's Eye displays a striking optical effect: when illuminated, a thin line of light is reflected from tiny fibres within the stone, and as one moves the stone back and forth, the line of light also moves, creating a stunning shimmer across the stone's surface.
The narrow band of light on the stone has the appearance of a slitted cat's eye, and for this reason, chatoyancy is sometimes referred to as the "Cat's Eye Effect".
In fact, the term "chatoyancy" is derived from the French for "Cat's Eye".
Tigers Eye Name
Tiger's Eye gains its unique name from its tiger-like appearance (its orange-red colouring and stripe patterns), as well as from its chatoyancy/ cat's eye effect.
Where Does Tigers Eye Come From?
Tiger's Eye can be found in various locations worldwide, including Australia, the USA, Brazil, and India.
Perhaps the most important source of Tiger's Eye is South Africa.
Other Types Of Tigers Eye
There are some interesting varieties of Tiger's Eye.
Tiger Iron is a unique mixture of Tiger's Eye, Red Jasper, and Hematite.
Hawk's Eye is blue Tiger's Eye.
Pietersite is a mixture of Tiger's Eye and Hawk's Eye in Quartz.
How Does Tigers Eye Form?
There are two main theories about the composition and formation of Tiger's Eye.
There remains contention in the geological community even today about how exactly Tiger's Eye forms.
Tiger's Eye: A Pseudomorph?
Ferdinand Wibel, a German mineralogist, first theorised in 1873 that Tiger's Eye was a pseudomorph, and for over a hundred years, Tiger's Eye was seen as a key example of pseudomorphism in minerals.
It was believed that Tiger's Eye was a form of Quartz which contained small fibres of Crocidolite, a blue amphibole (needle-like mineral) which forms in needle-like crystal fibres containing iron.
Wibel theorised that millions of years ago, in metamorphic rock/ iron formations, the mineral Crocidolite grew, and Quartz minerals grew around/ over it.
He argued that over millions of years, the Quartz replaced the Crocidolite fibres, retaining the original fibrous structure of the Crocidolite mineral: this is an example of pseudomorphism, where a mineral forms in the shape of another mineral (a shape it does not naturally form in).
Wibel believed that during the replacement process, the iron-rich Crocidolite was broken down to form iron oxides such as limonite, which stained the Quartz the signature yellow, gold, red, and brown colours of Tiger's Eye.
The subparallel growth of altered crocidolite fibres (now Quartz fibres) was said to cause the famed chatoyancy of Tiger's Eye.
Tiger's Eye: A New Theory
A more recent theory was posited by mineralogists Heaney and Fisher in 2003.
After studying a Tiger's Eye specimen under a microscope, they discovered that Tiger's Eye was not actually a pseudomorph.
The mineralogists could see the Quartz in Tiger's Eye, but instead of observing small fibres of Quartz as expected, they found unexpectedly large, uniform-shaped Quartz columns which were unlikely to have been created via pseudomorphism.
Heaney and Fisher also could see small fibres of Crocidolite in the Tiger's Eye which were different in shape/size to these unique Quartz columns.
The difference in shape of the Quartz columns and Crocidolite fibres, and the subparallel growth of these minerals, indicated that the Quartz had not replaced the Crocidolite and retained its shape, as a pseudomorph would.
Instead, it was suggested that the Quartz grew alongside/ parallel to the Crocidolite fibres in their large columns via a crack-seal mechanism.
The chatoyancy of Tiger's Eye is believed to be caused by the Crocidolite fibres, not the Quartz columns, although it is still believed that the signature colours of Tiger's Eye is caused by iron oxide inclusions and coatings.
Tigers Eye History
In ancient times, Tiger's Eye was a focus of many superstitions worldwide.
Roman soldiers wore engraved Tiger's Eye amulets on the battlefield as stones of protection: these talismans were designed to keep the soldiers safe from their enemies, and to also ward off evil spirits.
In Eastern cultures such as China, the tiger is considered to be the most powerful being, the true king of the jungle: for this reason, Tiger's Eye was coveted as a powerful symbol of protection, power, and good fortune.
Tiger's Eye In Ancient Egypt
In Ancient Egypt, Tiger's Eye was seen as a representation of Sun energy: pharaohs wore jewellery carved from Tiger's Eye to gain the protection of Ra the Sun God, and to attract strength, power, and vitality.
Tiger's Eye was also used to decorate the tombs of pharaohs to attract good fortune as they journeyed into the afterlife.
Tiger's Eye was sometimes seen as also harmoniously representing Earth energy: for this reason, wearing Tiger's Eye amulets was also believed to attract the protection of Geb the Earth God.
The Egyptians also carved Tiger's Eye to make eyes for the statues of their gods and goddesses- the stone was believed to represent divine vision and the "all-seeing eye".
Tiger's Eye Modern History
Historically, Tiger's Eye was considered to be a precious stone, even more valuable than gold: this was until the 1800s, when large deposits of the stone were discovered in South Africa.
Tiger's Eye is now considered to be a semiprecious stone.
Tigers Eye Crystal Healing Properties
Tiger's Eye is an incredibly powerful stone with regards to crystal spirituality and crystal healing.
Tiger's Eye is used by crystal healers to improve motivation, energy, and will-power, as well as to soothe, calm, and heal mood swings and strong emotions.
The balancing nature of Tiger's Eye makes it perfect for people struggling with indecisiveness: this stone provides the stability and intuition for good decision-making.
Tiger's Eye is also said to represent the all-seeing and all-knowing eye, thus it is believed to help its users to find clarity and understanding during times of difficulty.
A stone of vitality and passion, Tiger's Eye is a great example of a Gemini Zodiac stone.
Tigers Eye is also an important symbol of good luck, fortune, and abundance.
Tigers Eye Feng Shui
Embodying fire energy in Feng Shui as well as earth energy, Tiger's Eye is a perfect example of the balance between Sun and Earth: yin and yang in action.
Tiger's Eye inspires both the confidence, strength, bravery, and fiery passion characteristic of the fire element, and the stability, calm, and grounding nature of the earth element.
Tiger's Eye has many uses in Feng Shui: for example, when placed next to a door or a window, especially the front door, it is said to offer protection to the inhabitant of the room from negative energies.
When used in the home's study or work areas, for example when placed on a desk, Tiger's Eye is said to enhance focus, motivation, and decision-making abilities, as well as to attract abundance and wealth.
Tigers Eye Chakras
Tiger's Eye resonates well with the Root Chakra, Sacral Chakra, and Solar Plexus Chakra.
When used with the Root Chakra, Tiger's Eye can gift its user with a sense of strength and security, both emotionally and physically.
When used with the Sacral Chakra, Tiger's Eye can increase feelings of pleasure and joy in its user, as well as boost creativity, intuition, and self-worth.
When used with the Solar Plexus Chakra, Tiger's Eye activates its user's personal power and self-confidence.
How Hard Is Tigers Eye?
Measuring 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale, this mineral is relatively hard and durable and resistant to scratching, but care should still be taken not to damage the crystal surface.
To clean the crystal, simply use water and dry it afterwards with a soft cloth.
Tigers Eye Collections
Tiger's Eye would make a perfect addition to any crystal collection.
A Tiger's Eye crystal would also make a wonderful gift for any Gemini in your life, or for loved ones born in the Year of the Tiger.
Buy Tiger's Eye online now at Madagascan Direct.
