Tiger Eye
South Africa
This specimen of Tiger Iron when seen by the human eye, looks an uninteresting dark brown, with barely visible markings. However, when viewed under cross polaraised light, the colours assault the viewer's senses in a mix of vibrant reds, golds and browns. Tiger Iron is a mixture of Tiger Eye, red Jasper and black Hematite. The radiant colours are caused by an effect called chatoyancy, which causes light reflection under the surface layers of the stone. The receding layers or banding create an impression of a golden landscape.