|
 From a mineralogical point
of view, chrysoberyls are aluminium oxide containing beryllium, and thus
actually have little in common with the beryls, which belong to the
silicate family. Indeed, with their excellent hardness of 8_ on the Mohs
Scale, they are clearly superior to the beryls. The popular chrysoberyls
come in many nuances between lemon and greenish yellow, and in honey
colors and shades from mint green to brownish green, and are mostly
found in the gemstone deposits of Brazil, Sri Lanka or East Africa. |
|
Since ancient times,
chrysoberyl has been regarded as a gemstone which protects its wearer
and keeps disaster at bay. The cat's eye most of all is seen as a
particularly effective protective stone and talisman. On account of its
golden tones, chrysoberyl is often also associated with wealth and this
idea is certainly not without foundation, since in its most beautiful
form as a high-quality cat's eye it is up among the gemstones of the
luxury class.
 Discipline and self-control are the qualities mainly associated with
chrysoberyl in modern gemstone therapy. Chrysoberyls are said to promote
concentration and the ability to learn, and to enable the wearer to
think clearly and far-sightedly. Thanks to the secret power of the
chrysoberyl, negative thoughts are said to be transformed into positive
energy. And these positive qualities are said to be even more marked
with a chrysoberyl cat's eye. However, chrysoberyl is also regarded as a
gemstone which promotes tolerance and harmony, and it is one of the
lucky stones for those born under the sign of Leo.
|
|
Chrysoberyl cat's eyes are
genuine rarities which are found only in a few deposits in the world,
together with other varieties of chrysoberyl. One can hardly imagine
that a gemstone could wink like the eye of a cat in such a remarkably
genuine way. Is it magic, or Nature? And apart from that, what is it
that causes this irresistibly beautiful show of light?
Scientists have discovered that very fine inclusions, deposited in the
stone, are responsible for this fas cinating phenomenon. The incident
light is reflected off them, so that a bright strip of light appears, running perpendicular to the inclusions, similar to the eye of a
feline predator. When the stone is turned, this strip seems to glide
away across the surface of the stone. In technical terminology this
phenomenon is known as 'chatoyancy', which comes from the French chat
(for cat) and oeil (for eye). Whilst chrysoberyls lacking the cat's
eye effect are mostly faceted, cat's eyes are always cut into
cabochons, since only tall, rounded shapes render the line of the eye
properly visible.
The chrysoberyl, with its hues ranging from honey-colored to mint
green, is a popular gemstone, and one which is esteemed by
connoisseurs and gemstone lovers the world over. In its most
attractive variety, the cat's-eye, it is an extremely valuable stone
for those in the know. In general, the value of a chrysoberyl - as
with other
 gemstones - depends on its quality, that is to say its
beauty, color and attractiveness, the depth of the color and its
transparency. Anyone who wants to acquire a cat's-eye of good color
and with a finely marked eye-line will be obliged to dig fairly deep
into his pocket, for these gems fetch much higher prices on account of
their beauty and rarity. When buying a cat's-eye, you should be aware
of this: it is important that the 'eye' has a fine line running right
through it, and that it can be recognised clearly.
Chrysoberyl cat's eyes are among the most beautiful things that Nature
has created. Again and again, they fire the enthusiasm of those who
are looking for something individual and unique. Cat's eyes are also
well suited to being worn as jewellery by men. And without doubt,
there is many a man who has allowed himself to be seduced by a
beautiful cat's eye too ... . |
Chrysoberyl
(Cat's eye)