A natural tiger eye of 11.60 carats, about 12.75 ratti, at Rs. 1,500 – roughly Rs. 129 per carat. Known in Urdu as chashm-e-babri.

This one is hard enough for a ring, and that is not true of every stone

Tiger eye is a quartz, and it sits at 7 on the Mohs scale. That number is the whole reason this is a sensible men's ring stone.

Ordinary household dust is quartz at about the same hardness. A stone softer than 7 slowly loses its polish just from being handled and wiped; tiger eye does not. It will take years of daily wear and still look like itself. That puts it in a different class from feldspars like moonstone and sunstone, which need protecting, and it is why tiger eye has been a working man's ring stone for a very long time.

Practical advice all the same: ask for a bezel rather than claws. A continuous rim of silver takes the knocks, and on a domed cabochon it also stops the edge catching on things.

A deeper, more contrasted stone than the others here

Measured across the photograph, about 87% of this stone's face reads as golden brown, and 15% of it is genuinely dark – deep near-black bands between the gold. That dark share is the highest of the six stones in this category, where the next is under 9%. The result is a stone of strong contrast rather than an even honey colour, which under a silver setting reads as serious rather than showy.

Its chatoyancy – the band of light that slides across the surface as you tilt it – measures 30.8% on our scale, above the middle of this tray, where the six run from 22.6% to 33.9%.

Where the moving light comes from

Tiger eye is built of fibres lying parallel to one another, and light reflecting off all of them at once gathers into a single bright band at right angles to the fibre direction. Turn the stone and the band travels. The effect has a name of its own, chatoyancy, from the French for cat's eye.

The old explanation was that quartz slowly replaced fibres of crocidolite, keeping their shape. The view now favoured is that the quartz and the fibres grew together. Either way, what you are looking at is a fibrous structure, and it is the only reason this stone is interesting.

Colour and treatment, plainly

Golden brown is tiger eye's natural colour, and it is what this stone is. The red and some of the blue tiger eye sold elsewhere is produced by heating or dyeing – that is the usual treatment in this material, and it is worth knowing before you buy any tiger eye from anyone.

This stone has no laboratory report and its treatment has not been tested. We are telling you what is normal for the material, not what has been proved about this piece. Ask and we will arrange testing.

Care and ordering

Warm water, mild soap and a soft cloth. Keep it away from harsh cleaners, and do not leave it baking in direct sun. One stone, sold once. Message us on WhatsApp for more photographs, and we deliver across Pakistan.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural tiger eye with a weight of 11.6 Carat. Its price is Rs. 1,500 — roughly Rs. 129 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-00065 when you message us about it. The photographs show this exact stone, so what arrives at your door is the piece you chose on screen.

From six carats up a stone becomes the centre of attention. It wants a broader shank or a secure claw setting and suits an occasion ring, a signet or a centre pendant. Clean natural material of this size turns up far less often, and the per-carat rate reflects that.

On the Mohs scale tiger eye rates 7. It handles daily wear, but a hard knock can still nick an exposed corner, so a protective setting is a sensible choice. Clean it with warm soapy water and a soft brush, and keep it away from abrasive cleaners and high heat.

Whoever you buy tiger eye from, make sure of three things: the stone is natural rather than lab-grown, glass or glass-filled; any treatment is stated in writing; and the weight quoted is the weight of the finished stone. We check every tiger eye for those three points before it is listed, a certificate is available on request, and because you pay on delivery you can look at the stone — or have it tested — before any money changes hands.

We sell natural stones only and inspect each one before it is listed. Treatment for this stone: Treatment not tested. Certificate available on request. As general background (not a statement about this stone): Tiger eye is usually untreated; red and some blue colours are produced by heating or dyeing. Ask us on WhatsApp and we will tell you what we know about this exact stone; independent lab testing is available on request.

A certificate of authenticity is available on request for this stone, and independent laboratory testing can be arranged. Because you pay on delivery, you can also take the stone to a lab of your choice within the 7-day return window. Read more on our authenticity page.