Hawk's Eye Gemstone
Hawk's Eye Gemstone
Hawk's eye is a blue-gray to blue-green microcrystalline variety of fibrous quartz.
It is a pseudomorph that began as a crocidolite which is a fibrous blue mineral and later transformed into quartz. This occurs when quartz becomes implanted between the fibers of crocidolite, and eventually replacing crocidolite completely yet at the same time retaining the fibrous shape of crocidolite.
Hawk’s Eye is also known as Blue Tiger’s Eye and Falcon’s Eye. It is desired for its chatoyancy which is a bird’s eye effect that looks provocatively similar to the eye of a hawk. Thus, the derivation of its name.
Hawk's Eye is of a silicon dioxide chemical composition. It occurs in trigonal/hexagonal and fibrous aggregate crystal structure. Hawk’s Eye, same as Tiger’s Eye, is usually multicolored with wave patterns or golden stripes.
Hawk's Eye has a hardness ranging from 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. It displays an iridescence that enhances its silky luster, more so when cut en cabochon.
It is closely related to Tiger’s Eye and Pietersite, both of which also display the chatoyancy effect.
Hawk's Eye differs from Tiger's Eye by its distinct color. When more traces of iron oxide is present, the color becomes brownish golden, it is then known as Tiger’s Eye. Less traces of iron results in blue crocidolite color, and this is named Hawk’s Eye. [Note, Tiger’s Eye is in fact Hawk’s Eye but with more traces of iron in its chemical composition].
Pietersite is composed of both Hawk’s Eye and Tiger’s Eye. It is a brecciated aggregate form of Hawk’s Eye or Tiger’s Eye with a chaotic swirling pattern.
The bird's eye effect in Hawk’s Eye occurs as small rays of light dazzling on and off the surface of the cut and polished gemstone. This effect can be seen even in plain, flat-cut stones.
In order to maximize this effect, it is almost always cut en cabochon. It is also carved as an ornamental stone. Due to its hardness, Hawk’s Eye gemstones can also be fashioned into ovals, pears, rounds and freeform shapes.
There are imitations of Hawk’s Eye which are made from artificial fiber-optic glass. Some darker redder stones are dyed or heated to improve the color; nitric acid can also be used to lighten too dark colors. Nonetheless, Hawk’s Eye for the most part is not treated or heated.
Tiger’s Eye is the most famous of the three related gemstones. When it is cut and polished in its host rock, it is sold as Tiger’s Eye Matrix. When Tiger’s Eye is mixed with red Jasper and Black Hematite and cut with its host rock intact, it is sold as Tiger’s Iron Matrix.
It is said that Hawk's Eye helps to rid of phobia especially of flying. It enhances sight and vision and the ability to focus. Hawk’s Eye in crystal healing is used for issues with the eyes, spine and neck.
It is a powerful stone for protection. It protects the wearer from the dangers on the road, and also from the negative energy of others.
Hawk's Eye is the astrological stone for those born under the zodiac sign of Sagittarius and is the planetary stone of Jupiter.
Though Hawk's Eye is a rare gemstone, it remains affordable. Being a form of quartz, it is durable enough to be fashioned into any type of jewelry and can even be carved into charming floral cuts.
Hawk's Eye is sensitive to some acids so avoid harsh chemicals like bleach, perfume or hairspray.
Clean your gemstone with warm water and mild soap and a soft cloth. Remember to rinse well in order to remove all soapy residue from your precious Hawk’s Eye gemstone.
Deposits of Hawk's Eye can be found in Thailand, the Northern Cape province of South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Korea, Myanmar (Burma), Namibia, Spain and in the United States (mostly Arizona and California).
Hawk's eye is a blue-gray to blue-green microcrystalline variety of fibrous quartz.
It is a pseudomorph that began as a crocidolite which is a fibrous blue mineral and later transformed into quartz. This occurs when quartz becomes implanted between the fibers of crocidolite, and eventually replacing crocidolite completely yet at the same time retaining the fibrous shape of crocidolite.
Hawk’s Eye is also known as Blue Tiger’s Eye and Falcon’s Eye. It is desired for its chatoyancy which is a bird’s eye effect that looks provocatively similar to the eye of a hawk. Thus, the derivation of its name.
Hawk's Eye is of a silicon dioxide chemical composition. It occurs in trigonal/hexagonal and fibrous aggregate crystal structure. Hawk’s Eye, same as Tiger’s Eye, is usually multicolored with wave patterns or golden stripes.
Hawk's Eye has a hardness ranging from 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. It displays an iridescence that enhances its silky luster, more so when cut en cabochon.
It is closely related to Tiger’s Eye and Pietersite, both of which also display the chatoyancy effect.
Hawk's Eye differs from Tiger's Eye by its distinct color. When more traces of iron oxide is present, the color becomes brownish golden, it is then known as Tiger’s Eye. Less traces of iron results in blue crocidolite color, and this is named Hawk’s Eye. [Note, Tiger’s Eye is in fact Hawk’s Eye but with more traces of iron in its chemical composition].
Pietersite is composed of both Hawk’s Eye and Tiger’s Eye. It is a brecciated aggregate form of Hawk’s Eye or Tiger’s Eye with a chaotic swirling pattern.
The bird's eye effect in Hawk’s Eye occurs as small rays of light dazzling on and off the surface of the cut and polished gemstone. This effect can be seen even in plain, flat-cut stones.
In order to maximize this effect, it is almost always cut en cabochon. It is also carved as an ornamental stone. Due to its hardness, Hawk’s Eye gemstones can also be fashioned into ovals, pears, rounds and freeform shapes.
There are imitations of Hawk’s Eye which are made from artificial fiber-optic glass. Some darker redder stones are dyed or heated to improve the color; nitric acid can also be used to lighten too dark colors. Nonetheless, Hawk’s Eye for the most part is not treated or heated.
Tiger’s Eye is the most famous of the three related gemstones. When it is cut and polished in its host rock, it is sold as Tiger’s Eye Matrix. When Tiger’s Eye is mixed with red Jasper and Black Hematite and cut with its host rock intact, it is sold as Tiger’s Iron Matrix.
It is said that Hawk's Eye helps to rid of phobia especially of flying. It enhances sight and vision and the ability to focus. Hawk’s Eye in crystal healing is used for issues with the eyes, spine and neck.
It is a powerful stone for protection. It protects the wearer from the dangers on the road, and also from the negative energy of others.
Hawk's Eye is the astrological stone for those born under the zodiac sign of Sagittarius and is the planetary stone of Jupiter.
Though Hawk's Eye is a rare gemstone, it remains affordable. Being a form of quartz, it is durable enough to be fashioned into any type of jewelry and can even be carved into charming floral cuts.
Hawk's Eye is sensitive to some acids so avoid harsh chemicals like bleach, perfume or hairspray.
Clean your gemstone with warm water and mild soap and a soft cloth. Remember to rinse well in order to remove all soapy residue from your precious Hawk’s Eye gemstone.
Deposits of Hawk's Eye can be found in Thailand, the Northern Cape province of South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Korea, Myanmar (Burma), Namibia, Spain and in the United States (mostly Arizona and California).