tumbled · 3-piece set — approx. 2–4 cm each
Tiger's Eye Tumbled
A set of three tumbled tiger's eye stones — golden-brown, smooth, and carrying the chatoyant band of light that slides across the surface as you tilt the stone. Tumbled tiger's eye is one of the most accessible forms of this mineral: the rounded surface shows chatoyancy across its entire face rather than concentrating it in one spot, and the comfortable size makes it genuinely pocketable.
Tiger's eye is a quartz pseudomorph — it began as crocidolite asbestos and was replaced fibre-by-fibre by quartz while retaining the parallel structure that creates the optical effect. The golden colour comes from iron oxide formed during the replacement process. The blue-grey unoxidised version is called hawk's eye.
The chatoyancy in tumbled pieces is slightly different from spheres: it shows as a moving silky band rather than a single point of light, giving the stone a living, animated quality in the hand.
Mineralogy & Properties
Quartz (SiO₂) pseudomorph after crocidolite, Iron oxide (golden colour), Parallel fibre structure (chatoyancy), Mohs hardness: 7, Origin: South Africa
Set of 3 pieces. Approximate size per piece: 2–4 cm. Weight per piece: 20–50 g. Origin: South Africa.
Mineral: Quartz pseudomorph after crocidolite. Colour: golden-brown with chatoyant silky fibres. Mohs hardness: 7. Crystal system: trigonal (quartz). Tumble-polished. Water-safe. Each piece has a distinct chatoyant band.
- Dimensions
- 3-piece set — approx. 2–4 cm each
- Weight
- 60–150 g (set)