Frequently asked questions

• What causes the chatoyant stripe in tiger eye?

  Tiger eye is silicified crocidolite — parallel quartz fibers that pseudomorphed after asbestiform amphibole, with iron oxide staining producing the gold-to-brown color range. When the stone is cut with the fibers running parallel to the bead's surface, light reflects off them in a single moving band, the same optical effect (chatoyancy) seen in cat's eye chrysoberyl. On round beads the band shifts as the strand rotates; on cabochons and coins the effect is strongest because the cutter can orient the dome to maximize the flash. Faceted cuts break the band into smaller flickers across each face rather than one continuous stripe.
• Is red tiger eye natural or heat-treated?

  Most red tiger eye on the market is heat-treated — controlled heating oxidizes the iron content from yellow-brown goethite toward red hematite, deepening the body color while preserving the chatoyancy. The treatment is stable, permanent, and standard in the trade; it doesn't affect durability or care. Natural red tiger eye exists but is uncommon. Gold and brown tiger eye is typically untreated. Blue tiger eye (hawk's eye) is the unoxidized parent material and is also generally natural. Specific treatment for a SKU should be disclosed — ask before buying if it isn't specified.
• How does tiger eye hold up in rings and bracelets?

  At Mohs 5.5–6, tiger eye is softer than everyday quartz varieties like agate or chalcedony, and the fibrous structure means it can show parallel scratches along the chatoyant direction with hard wear. Earrings, pendants, and necklaces are low-risk. Bracelets are fine for occasional wear but will dull faster than a Mohs 7 stone if worn daily against desks and keyboards. For rings, reserve tiger eye for cocktail or statement pieces rather than daily-wear bands. Clean with mild soap and a soft cloth; skip ultrasonics, steam, and prolonged water soaks, which can work into the fiber structure.
• What's the difference between tiger eye, hawk's eye, and pietersite?

  All three share the same fibrous quartz-after-amphibole structure. Hawk's eye is the blue-gray unoxidized form — the fibers haven't been chemically altered to the iron oxides that produce gold tiger eye. Pietersite is a brecciated mix of tiger eye and hawk's eye fibers in a chaotic, swirling pattern rather than parallel bands, giving it a stormy multi-directional flash; it's primarily Namibian and Chinese. Cat's eye in the bead trade usually refers to manufactured fiber-optic glass, not the chrysoberyl gem — that material is glass, not stone, and behaves very differently in stringing.
• Which cuts and bead sizes work best for which projects?

  Smooth rounds (4–12mm) are the workhorse — the unbroken curve carries the chatoyant band cleanly and pairs well with brass, antiqued silver, leather, and warm-tone seed beads. Larger 12–14mm rounds and coins read as focal beads on men's bracelets and longer necklaces. Faceted rounds and coins break the band into flickers, which suits more contemporary settings and earrings where light movement matters more than a single stripe. Rondelles work as spacers between larger focal beads. Cabochons are oriented for maximum chatoyancy and are best for bezel-set pendants and rings rather than stringing.