Natural yellow cat's eye apatite 5.66ct oval cabochon loose gemstone for jewelry

Cat's Eye Gemstones

Cat's eye gemstones show chatoyancy: a single sharp line of light that slides across a cabochon as it moves, like the slit pupil of a cat's eye. The effect comes from many fine, parallel fibers or needles inside the stone, and it appears in several species, from chrysoberyl (BeAl2O4), the classic cat's eye, to quartz-based tiger's eye (SiO2).

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Gemstone guide

Cat's Eye Gemstones

About cat's eye gemstones

The name cat's eye on its own traditionally means chrysoberyl cat's eye, or cymophane, the most prized of them, from Sri Lanka, India and Brazil. Other species show the effect too, and are named with the species: cat's eye apatite, cat's eye opal, cat's eye augite and others. Tiger's eye is quartz that replaced fibrous minerals, giving a golden brown silky band.

What you'll find in this collection

You'll find chrysoberyl cat's eye cabochons, cat's eye apatite, opal and augite, tiger's eye cabochons and tiger's eye heart pendants sold in sets of three, from small stones under a carat to pieces over 50 carats.

How to recognise cat's eye gemstones

Hold the cabochon under a single light and turn it: the line should stay sharp and move across the dome. In fine chrysoberyl, lighting from one side makes half the stone look milky and half honey-colored, the milk-and-honey effect. The species can then be told apart by color, luster and density: chrysoberyl is much heavier and harder than apatite or quartz.

Caring for cat's eye gemstones

Care depends on the species: chrysoberyl is hard and tough, quartz cat's eyes are durable, and apatite and opal are softer and need gentler handling. Clean all of them with warm soapy water and a soft brush, and avoid ultrasonic cleaners for the softer stones.

Every stone is natural, and each listing gives its weight, size, origin and treatment, with photos of the actual stone.