CATS EYE

2011

PUBLISHED BY - BAPI SAHA, MOBILE- 9088857120

Chrysoberyl Cat's eye, a lively gemstone

Cats eye is the ninth gemstone in the Navaratna family. Cats eye is a precious stone according to Indian gemology. It represents Ketu, a Chhaya Graha (Shadow planet) in Indian system of astrology. Not all Cats eyes but only Chryso-beryl Cats eyes are considered as Cats eye in India. A fine quality Cats eye possesses a mixture of black and white shade that has got an even, uniform, clear and transparent surface. It is blooming and covered with a white thin film resembling a winter cloud. It also clearly exhibits round silver lining at both edges like borders of scarf borne on the neck. This is how Vaidurya orLahsuniya, Indian names for Cats eye, depicted in ancient Indian Sanskrit text. A High quality Cats eye consists of golden yellow shade and white fiber. The gemstone is considered of higher value and greater beauty if brighter the fiber in its gleam, and straight as a line. King of Kandy presented a big sized Cats eye of 313 carats to Queen Victoriawhen her army defeated him. Main characteristics: A silver Lining is visible in a perfect Cats eye in direct sun light or lamp. A fine Cats eye possesses yellowish or greenish tinge of the eye of cats. The Greek words chrysos and beryllos are origins of the word chrysoberyl That means "a gold-white spar". The chrysoberyl, is an aluminate of beryllium. Chemical formula of Chrysoberyl is BeAl2O4. Chrysoberyl is the third-hardest natural gemstone after Diamond (10) and Corundum (9). Its hardness lies between corundum (9) and topaz (8).i.e. hardness of eight and half in Mohs scale. It is smooth like glass. It becomes fine and brilliant when polished. The prized color is golden yellow and beige (Whipped honey). In addition, the silver lining is clear and distinct. The gem looks as if it were really alive with the intensity of the line appears and disappears.

Main characteristics of Cat's eye

A silver Lining is visible in a perfect Cats eye in direct sun light or lamp. A fine Cats eye possesses yellowish or greenish tinge of the eye of cats. The Greek words chrysos and beryllos are origins of the word chrysoberyl That means "a gold-white spar". The chrysoberyl, is an aluminate of beryllium. Chemical formula of Chrysoberyl is BeAl2O4. Chrysoberyl is the third-hardest natural gemstone after Diamond (10) and Corundum (9). Its hardness lies between corundum (9) and topaz (8).i.e. hardness of eight and half in Mohs scale. It is smooth like glass. It becomes fine and brilliant when polished. The prized color is golden yellow and beige (Whipped honey). In addition, the silver lining is clear and distinct. The gem looks as if it were really alive with the intensity of the line appears and disappears.

Flaws in Cat's eye gemstone

A dark shaded Cats eye with watery complexion and reddish tinge in fiber, flattened, deformed and light weight (low specific gravity), is considered to be ominous. It is likely to bring ill luck. The Sanskrit name for Cats eye is Vaidurya and Bidalaksh, (Bidal means cat and Aksh is eye) and it characterizes the actual meaning of the word. The gem stone virtually resembles eye of a cat. Hence, it is so called in western world too. It is called Lahsuniya (Lehsuniya) in Hindi language. A Cats eye gemstone is termed as a sheet if fiber is not straight as a line but defused over the body. A Cats eye devoid of fiber is known as Karketak (chrysolite). Oriental Cats eye is Chrysoberyl Cats eye. It was depicted as cymophane in Victorian age. However, this word is not in use now. It invariably possesses a white gleam and opalescence due to inclusions of fiber or a fibrous structure. Flaws in Cats eye: The following flaws can be occurred in a Cats eye gemstone. 1. Spot in crystal 2. Hole 3. Crack 4. Flimsy 5. Stain 6. Dullness 7. Pale in color. When a Cats eye is dull, opaque and without luster it is called a bony stone. A bony stone is neither bright nor smooth. Stains of following colors are also found in Cats eye: 1. White 2. Black 3. Red, 4. Honey brown. Of course, flaws down grade a gemstone and Cat's eye is not an exception.Clean gemstones fetch much higher value than a stone with inclusions. More the inclusions less the price is the case for a Cats eye gemstone like all othergemstones.

Varieties and origins of Cat's eye

Varieties of Cats eye (According to color): Kanak Khet: This is the finest type of Cats eye. It has a bright golden hue. It looks exactly as eye of a cat. (Kanak means gold in Sanskrit and Khet is origin) Madhu Khet: It is a medium quality Cats eye with honey brown hue and white fibers. (Madhu is for honey in Sanskrit) Dhumra or Dhum Khet: It has smoky color with white fibers and considered as of low quality. (Dhumra means smoke in Sanskrit language)

Krishna Khet: It is with blackish shade and white fiber. This is the lowest quality of Cats eye. (Krishna means black). Sources or Mines: Mines of Mogok (Myanmar) and Ceylon (Sri Lanka) have been producing Cats eye gemstones since time immemorial. Trivandrum and Orissa in India has also started producing the same since few decades. Material from Mogok (Burma) is considered to be the best followed by Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Trivandrum and Orissa respectively. Rough stones of Cats eyes are traditionally cut and polished only into cabochons and beads and not in faceted forms.