Let's Talk About Beads 101: Tiger Eye

Hey there fellow jewelry enthusiasts 👋🏾. We're back with our latest Delightful Gems entry and continuing with our Let's Talk About Beads 101 series. There are so many types of gemstones and we're going to cover as many of them as possible throughout this series. Tigereye is the next gemstone up for discussion. Without further ado, let's jump into it!

Tigereye AKA Tiger's Eye, is one of the more widely known semiprecious gemstones. Tigereye is created when quartz forms over crocidolite. Quartz accumulates over the crocidolite and replaces it. Over time, the iron within it dissolves and stains the quartz, resulting in the customary bands of gold and brown that tigereye is known for. Tigereye also has an iridescent luster (also called chatoyancy) that resembles the eye of a tiger.

Lower iron levels during the stone's formation can result in stones with a bluish hue. "Red" tigereye is usually dyed or heated to create or enhance that shade.

Tigereye can be found in India, Australia, South Africa, and the United States. South Africa has substantial deposits of tigereye, helping to keep the material affordable. 

Tigereye has a hardness rating of 7. This means it is very durable and suitable for use in all types of jewelry. 

Tigereye is believed to be a stone of balance. It is thought to promote mental clarity, provide the strength to overcome fatigue or discouragement and help one remain calm and centered. 

This has been a quick dive into a fascinating and visually captivating stone. We hope you enjoyed this read and will join us again for the next article in this series.