Tiger's Eye: Seeing Is Believing |
Tiger's Eye quartz (silica dioxide) is also known as Tiger Eye, Cat's Eye, Tigereye, Crocidolite, Tigers Eye, or African Cat's Eye. It is a combination of deep brown and yellow/orange or red stripes or bands which have a silky, changeable luster; and it got its name from resembling an actual tiger's eye. Its rare appearance is caused by light reflecting off inclusions of fiber.
Overall health; focusing, clarity of the mind; and spiritual well-being are supposedly benefited by wearing tiger's eye, and because of this it is also sometimes used in meditation. Those who believe in these powers believe it should be worn on the right side of the body, and be set in silver, not gold. It is the birthstone of Gemini, and often given as a gift for the 9th wedding anniversary. In Rome soldiers wore it to protect themselves when going into battle.
Africa has the most significant Tiger's Eye mine, but it is also mined in Australia; Canada, the United States, India, Namibia, India and Burma. A form of tiger iron found in Africa is extremely rare since it contains tints of blue, yellow, red and green.
Tiger's Eye unusual and interesting appearance is commonly seen in pendants and beads cut in cabochons to reveal its true beauty, and sometimes in earrings and brooches. It rates a 7.0 in hardness on the Mohl's scale, and is therefore very durable for everyday wear, as well as being affordable.
There is also a gemstone named Tiger Iron which is a combination of red Jasper and Hematite, but despite its beauty it is not as popular as Tiger's Eye. It is called "marra mamba" and is found in Australia. It has red and blue inclusions and has a greenish hue with brown and yellow tones. This is very scarce, however, as it has been mined over many years. Hawk's Eye is also similar to Tiger's Eye except it is a grayish green or blue due to its chemical make-up.
Persons with eye ailments have been known to turn to Tiger's Eye for relief, no doubt because of the "eye" tie-in, as well as to improve night vision. To receive the benefits many believe the gemstone offers, some persons have it carved into a talisman they can carry with them. As is true of many other gemstones, it is wise to keep the gemstone free from scratches and drastic temperatures. Fibreoptic plastic and artificial glass are sometimes manufactured to mimic tiger's eye, and also come in a rainbow of colors.