Antique jewelry glossary

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Tiger's-eye

A variety of cat's-eye (quartz) that has originated from Crocidolite (a fibrous variety of asbestos) which has partially changed its original geenish-blue colour, by oxidation of the iron pigment, into golden yellow before replacement by quartz. It has a silky lustre and, when suitable cut en cabochon, has a high degree of chatoyancy. Its source is near West Griquatown, north of the Orange River in South Africa.

From: An Illustrated Dictionary of Jewelry, autor: Harold Newman, publishers: Thames and Hudson