4.26 Ct. Cabochon Tiger's Eye from Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

This exquisite golden brown tiger's eye presents as an opaque, round cabochon weighing 4.26 carats, with dimensions 9.96 x 10.01 x 5.38 mm, and an excellent polish that highlights its silky chatoyant bands. The clarity grade is opaque, evaluated at eye level, which is typical and desirable for quality tiger's eye, as the value derives from the richness of the chatoyancy and the integrity of the surface rather than internal transparency. Origin is Ceylon, Sri Lanka, a historic source known for producing well colored and tightly banded stones, and there has been no enhancement to this gem, assuring the collector of its natural state. The round cabochon shape is expertly executed to maximize the cat eye effect, creating a single strong band of light that moves across the surface as the stone is viewed from different angles, and the excellent polish provides a mirror like finish that improves wearability and aesthetic appeal.

From a gemological and practical standpoint this tiger's eye scores very well for durability and daily wear. As a variety of quartz, tiger's eye has a Mohs hardness of approximately 7, which offers reliable resistance to scratches compared with softer gem materials, and this places it well above common organics and softer silicates, while below gemstones such as topaz at 8, sapphire at 9, and diamond at 10. For an educated buyer this means the stone is suitable for most types of jewelry settings including rings and pendants, provided sensible care is taken to avoid hard impacts and abrasive contact. The combination of stable natural color, excellent polish, absence of enhancements, and Sri Lankan provenance contributes to its market value, and the pleasing golden brown tones make it versatile for both classic and contemporary designs. The Natural Gemstone Company stands behind the authenticity and quality of this specimen, and we recommend setting it in protective bezel or partial bezel settings to preserve the cabochon surface, while allowing the chatoyancy to remain the focal point of a refined jewelry piece.