Cat’s eye buyer’s guide

A sharp ray

Under a single direct light, the ray should be bright, straight, and centered. Tilt the stone: a good eye opens into a pool of light on one side and tightens to a line on the other. That milk-and-honey shift is what Ceylon chrysoberyl is known for. A wide, broken, or off-center ray is a weaker stone, even if the body color is pretty.

Faceting destroys the setup that makes the ray. If a stone is faceted, it is not this effect.

Species first

Quartz cat’s eye is common and much less expensive. It can still be an honest jewel if it is sold as quartz. Selling it as chrysoberyl is not a difference of opinion. It is a different mineral, hardness 7 instead of 8.5.

Our cat’s eye category is the place to see what we have. The product title should carry the species. This guide does not upgrade a stone that the title left vague.

Questions

Is a cat’s eye the same as a star?

No. A cat’s eye is one ray. A star is four, six, or twelve rays from a different orientation of needles. Both are cabochons.

Does the ray have to be visible in every light?

It is strongest under a single point of light. In diffuse daylight it softens. It should still be findable. A ray that exists only in one retouched photo is not enough.