Within the group of precious and semi-precious stones, tiger’s eye quartz is one of the most outstanding, due to its rarity, durability and extravagant colors ranging from brown to yellow that are combined in fibrous bands made up of iron and silica minerals.
Since ancient times, this mineral has been used as a protective, therapeutic stone and for important uses in jewelry, costume jewelery and luxury crafts.
Its importance was such that even the Egyptians used it in their sculptures to represent the protective power of the gods and the sun.
What is tiger eye quartz?
Naturally the tiger eye quartz stone It is a cryptocrystalline variety of quartz that is characterized by appearing in golden, yellow, brown and brown tones.
Mineralogically it belongs to the extensive group of silicates and tectosilicates. As for its chemical composition, it is completely a mineral that is made up of 100% silica (SiO2).
The tiger eye quartz It is a colorful stone, which comes in light brown, brown, yellow and reddish tones in the form of intertwined and elongated fibrous bands that have the appearance of a tiger’s eye, hence its peculiar name.
Generally these colors are due to small iron impurities in their composition that appear as a hematite, goethite and lemonite.
How is the tiger eye stone formed?
It has basically been formed by the hydrothermal replacement of silica that has affected blue colored asbestos, also called riebeckite or crocidolite, which is characterized for being a fibrous mineral.
During hydrothermal replacement, all the iron in asbestos is introduced into the silica in the form of impurities and as hematite and siltstone minerals. This makes the tiger’s eye stone take on those elongated brown, golden and yellow tones, just as if they were the original fibers of Riebeckite-Crocidolite.
Meaning of tiger eye quartz
The tiger eye stone has always been associated with the ability to help release fear and anxiety, because it symbolizes harmony and mental-spiritual balance.
In addition, many oriental cultures have associated him with the courage, integrity and the proper use of power. It is such that even the Roman soldiers wore it to encourage his courage and bravery in battles.
Also throughout history it has been considered as a stone of prosperity, good fortune and how protective stone against the bad vibes that come from others.
Tiger’s Eye is a powerful stone believed to provide mental clarity, capable of heightening our intellect and aiding in the development of personal talents. The extremely positive energy of tiger’s eye creates a protective field around you and fights even the strongest attacks of black magic and envy.
Finally, he is currently quite associated with the warmth, friendliness, joy and optimism. For lovers of yellow and gold, this jewel is an excellent detail that will last a lifetime.
Spiritual properties of the tiger eye stone
The tiger eye quartz stone stimulates physical vitality and energy circulation. It is believed that it facilitates cellular respiration and helps maintain and balance the energy poles. In addition, it is thought that it neutralizes all negative energies, favors the resolution of conflicts, intensifies our psychic capacity and increases our self-esteem.
Due to its high charge of positive energies, tiger’s eye quartz is capable of breaking all curses and neutralizing the energies of envy.
The tiger eye stone It generates discernment and helps us make important decisions, without judging, in accordance with high guidelines. It leads us to understand our real needs and helps us distinguish what we want from what we really need.
This stone helps identify our gifts, helps overcome limitations, balances Yin and Yang energies, and energizes our emotional body.
Finally, it is thought to be a stone of prosperity, since it vibrates attracting economic gains, favors good luck and helps pave the way for its wearer.
What is it for? and how is it used?
The tiger eye stone is widely used in jewelry and decoration, working as a strong protective amulet, positive energization and personal strength.
To possibly enhance healing, place it on the body over the ailment site and mentalize the transmutation of its energy.
It can also be carried in your pocket to activate it in moments of need for self-control, creativity, protection and personal power.
Properties and characteristics of tiger eye quartz
The tiger eye quartz Originally, it is a wear-resistant stone because it is hard. In fact, it has a value of 7 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, just below topaz, corundumand the Diamond.
That is to say that this stone is used very well for jewelry and costume jewellery, however it has a very accessible price for the general public.
Because it is a type of cryptocrystalline quartz, its density is equivalent to 2.7 gr/cm3 and it naturally has no transparency.
Below is a summary table that explains the physical, chemical and characteristic properties of this gem and that serves for its correct identification.
| tiger eye quartz | Properties and characteristics |
|---|---|
| Chemical formula | YesOtwo |
| Class | Silicate, tectosilicate, chalcedony |
| Color | Yellow, Brown, Multicolor |
| Mohs hardness | 7 |
| crystalline system | Hexagonal |
| Refractive index | 1.54 – 1.55 |
| Density or specific weight | 2.63 – 2.65 |
| Transparency | opaque sometimes translucent |
| double refraction | None |
| luster or shine | Silky |
| cleavage | Does not have |
| mineral class | Quartz type (chalcedony) |
How to clean and charge tiger eye quartz?
The tiger eye quartz cleansing it can be done by washing it with running water and salt. To do this, wash it in a tap, waterfall or stream, rubbing it lightly with the salt.
To charge it, it is done by exposure to sunlight for up to 4 hours or to moonlight for up to 6 hours.
Tiger’s Eye Quartz Uses
Uses in jewelry and costume jewelery
Due to its excellent resistance, its colorful properties and its fibrous texture, this stone is mainly used to make gems or jewelry that are part of rings, bracelets, pendants, chains, charms and earrings. In addition, due to its affordable price for all audiences, it is used in costume jewelery and handicrafts.
Its occurrence in nature is not very common, so having a gem like this is a true luxury that is available to everyone.
Therapeutic uses of tiger eye stone
Lots of people use this stone because they believe it strengthens the blood and maintains overall vitality. It strengthens the endocrine system and helps balance the body’s hormones and biochemistry.
Tiger’s Eye Quartz is very useful in treating the eyes, throat, and reproductive organs. It also breaks up bulges of stress and can speed up the process of rebuilding broken bones.
As a lucky talisman
The belief that it can attract good luck and fortune is associated with this stone, with the aim of also attracting money to homes and work. Therefore, it is also considered an amulet or gem suitable for giving to entrepreneurs.
It is also an ideal jewel to give to people who are developing a project or who are undergoing important changes with a view to their future.
Uses as ornamental stone
This stone often appears in the form of on all foursor banded stones that are very interesting for collectors and mineral explorers who use it to decorate spaces in homes, offices, buildings, shopping centers and even museums. In addition, they acquire it with the aim of obtaining all the protective and therapeutic benefits.
Types and varieties of tiger eye stone
- Arizona tiger eye : pseudomorph of quartz or opal from fibrous serpentine. This variety is found near Arizona.
- blue tiger eye : Synonymous with hawkeye
- Hawk Eye : Gray-bluish variant of tiger’s eye, lacking the yellow or brown color. Formed from an incomplete pseudomorphism of Quartz after Crocidolite.
- iron tiger eye : It is characterized because the fibrous bands in the stone are composed of brown hematite or orange limonite.
Deposits of tiger’s eye quartz
The main deposits of tiger’s eye quartz are in South Africa, and it is the Cape province where this stone is most exploited for its trade in precious stones worldwide.
Other important sources are in Australia, India, Thailand.
It is worth mentioning that the geographical occurrence of tiger’s eye quartz is very limited, however the existing deposits currently manage to supply the demand for these stones.