Chrysoberyl
cat' eye perfectly mimics the ghostly appearance of ]:he eye of a cat
caught in a pair of headlights at nighY Because chrysoberl is often
yellowish in colour, the greek word chryso, meaning golden was added
to its name to distinguish it from BERYL. Chryosberyl is very rarely
found as gem quality making it arare and costly gemstone.[he stone comes
in two colors: translucent
honey brown or apple green, and is cut into high-domed cabochons. A
silken-sheened slit of silvery white glides across the face of the dome
whenever the gem is tilted slightly, widening and narrowing like the
iris of a cat's eye. This eerie effect is caused by tiny, hair-like
inclusions reflecting in the light and is known as chatoyancy. While
this characteristic appears in other gems, none has the
clarity and impact of cat's eyes in chrysoberylj
The value of a chrysoberyl cat's eye is determined by the sharpness
of the eye and the richness and luster of the stone's color. Some
chrysoberyl cat's eyes exhibit what is known as a milk-and-honey effect.
The Most important locations in which chrysoberyl is found include
the Ural Mountains of Russia, Southern India, Sri Lanka, Burma ( Myanmar),
Zimbabwe and Brazil . Although chrysoberyl is found in the United
states, there are no major sources of the mineral there.
