How Much Is Tiger's Eye Worth?
Also known as Tiger Eye
Tiger's eye is an affordable chatoyant quartz known for its silky, moving band of light ('chatoyancy') caused by parallel fibrous inclusions. Tumbled stones and beads sell for $1–$15, cabochons and carved pieces for $5–$40, and large polished towers or fine 'cat's-eye' cabs for $30–$150+. The classic golden-brown is most common; blue ('hawk's eye') and red tiger's eye also occur, though much red material is heat-treated or dyed. Value comes from a sharp, bright chatoyant band, even color, good polish, and size. Because the material is plentiful (mainly South Africa and Australia), everyday prices stay low.
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Tiger's Eye value by type
| Type | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Tumbled / beads | $1 – $15 |
| Cabochons / carvings | $5 – $40 |
| Towers & large polished | $20 – $100 |
| Fine cat's-eye cabs | $30 – $150+ |
Educational ballparks for typical specimens — not a formal appraisal.
What drives tiger's eye value
- Chatoyancy. A sharp, bright moving band of light is the key value driver.
- Color. Rich even gold, natural blue (hawk's eye), or untreated red are preferred.
- Polish & cut. A good cabochon orientation maximizes the eye effect.
- Size. Larger clean pieces with strong chatoyancy cost more.
Is your tiger's eye real?
Tiger's eye is real quartz, but red and vivid colors are often heat-treated or dyed, and fiber-optic glass 'cat's-eye' is sold as tiger's eye. Natural tiger's eye is Mohs 7, shows a soft moving band, and has slightly uneven natural color; glass shows a perfectly straight, sharp single line and uniform color.
FAQ
- Is tiger's eye valuable?
- Generally inexpensive ($1–$15 tumbled), but strong-chatoyancy cabs, towers, and fine cat's-eye pieces reach $30–$150+.
- Is red tiger's eye natural?
- Some is, but much red tiger's eye is produced by heating golden material; dyed pieces also exist.