Tiger's eye: properties, meaning, care & jewellery

Tiger's eye belongs to the quartz group and is one of the most striking natural stones for gemstone jewellery. With its golden-brown, silky shimmering stripes, the gemstone is reminiscent of the eye of a tiger - alert, powerful, focussed. Tiger's eye is used in gemstone bracelets, necklaces, earrings and creoles, often combined with stainless steel, haematite, aventurine, agate, carnelian, rose quartz and sparkling crystals. Some designs also feature synthetic tiger's eye which visually displays the characteristic striped effect and blends harmoniously into the colour scheme.

In this guide you will learn what characterises tiger's eye, how genuine tiger's eye can be recognised, how to care for tiger's eye jewellery properly and which pieces of jewellery with tiger's eye are particularly popular at COEUR DE LION.

Note: Symbolic and spiritual meanings of the tiger's eye come from tradition and esotericism. They are not scientifically proven and do not replace medical advice.

• Tiger's eye is a chatoyant quartz with a golden-brown to brown colour effect.
• Typical is the light strip effect, also called chatoyance.
• With a hardness of about 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale tiger's eye is well suited for jewellery.
• Its colour ranges from golden yellow to yellow-brown to reddish brown.
• The following are sufficient for care: lukewarm water, mild soap and a soft cloth.

Tiger's eye is a favourite because of its warm, shimmering colour effect and its good suitability for everyday use, it is particularly popular for elegant genuine stone jewellery. Discover real stone chains, real stone earrings and real stone bracelets with a natural look. You can also find many designs in our FINE EDITION and in models of the Birthstone collection.

Tiger's eye is a quartz with chatoyance, a strip of light that changes visibly when the stone is moved. This special look is created by the fibrous inner structure of the material. Polished surfaces bring out this effect particularly well, which is why tiger's eye is often used in jewellery as a pearl, cabochon or smooth stone element.

Mineralogically, tiger's eye is related to crocidolite, a fibrous amphibole variety. In the course of formation, this basic material is replaced by quartz or quartz grows through it, while the fibrous structure is retained. This is precisely what creates the typical silky lustre for which tiger's eye is known.

Tiger's eye is preferred in jewellery:

• as cabochon (smooth polished) for rings and pendants,

• as a small beads and cubes for tiger's eye bracelets and necklaces,

• at COEUR DE LION in GeoCUBE® designs and in graphic rows with crystals and haematite.

Tiger's eye appears above all in golden yellow, honey-coloured, yellow-brown and reddish brown tones. Stones with a clearly recognisable band of light and a beautiful depth effect are particularly appreciated. Depending on the cut and incidence of light, the shimmer may appear soft and silky or much more contrasting.

Related materials are hawk eye or hawk's eye, that rather blue-grey as well as reddish-brown variants that result from additional alteration processes. Mixed rocks such as tiger Iron combine tiger's eye with other natural materials to create a particularly lively look.

Even in ancient times, tiger's eye was considered protective stone and amulet:

• It was worn to symbolically ward off the "evil eye",

• Roman soldiers are said to have worn tiger's eye amulets as protection in battle.

In many cultures, the stone still stands for vigilance, courage and clarity - characteristics that perfectly match the image of the tiger's eye. Morn interpretations associate it with self-confidence, willpower and inner stability.

In its collection texts, COEUR DE LION describes tiger's eye as a gemstone that gives courage and symbolises protection and security - a strong emotional anchor for gift communication.

The typical shimmer of the tiger's eye is called chatoyance. This creates a bright, moving strip of light on the surface, reminiscent of a cat's or tiger's eye. This effect is created because the light on the parallel fibrous structures is reflected in the stone. If tiger's eye is suitably cut and polished, this effect is particularly striking.

The golden brown colour is related to iron oxides and the transformation of the original fibrous material. Tiger's eye is therefore not only visually special, but also geologically interesting because its formation is closely linked to the preservation of an older fibre structure in quartz.

Anyone who wants to buy genuine tiger's eye should look out for the following features:

• Silky shimmer: Easily recognisable, moving strip of light (cat's eye effect) when the stone is tilted.

• Colour gradient: golden yellow to brown stripes, often wavy, not plain as with many imitations.

• Surface & feel: Glassy lustre, clearly "stony" and cool, not plastic-like light.

• Hardness: relatively scratch-resistant (quartz hardness 6.5-7).

The following exist in the trade imitations made of glass with a fibre optic effect or differently coloured plastics. They usually look too perfectly striped, too light or too "glassy".

COEUR DE LION works with natural stones of the highest quality and uses tiger's eye - and in some cases synthetic tiger's eye - in combination with stainless steel, crystals, rhinestones and other gemstones. Each piece of jewellery is handmade in the Stuttgart manufactory and bears a seal of quality and a certificate of authenticity.

Tiger's eye is robust - but like all gemstones, it requires careful handling. Care is based on your general guidelines for gemstone jewellery:

• Avoid water: Take off jewellery before showering, bathing, sauna, solarium and sports, so that neither stone nor stainless steel or plating are affected.

• Cosmetics & perfume: Always apply cream, style and perfume first - then put on your tiger's eye jewellery.

• Gentle cleaning: After wearing, wipe with a dry, soft microfibre cloth to remove any residue of sweat, cream or perfume.

• No aggressive cleaning agents: No silver bath, no cleaning agents containing alcohol, no ultrasonic devices.

• Storage: Store in a dry, dark and separate place in a COEUR DE LION case or jewellery box to prevent the stone from scratching harder materials.

This way your tiger's eye bracelet, tiger's eye necklace or earrings with tiger's eye will stay radiantly beautiful for a long time.