Polished Tiger Iron Tumbled Stone Natural Crystal
Tiger Iron is a natural banded stone combining three materials in one: golden-brown tiger's eye, deep red jasper, and metallic grey hematite. The layers formed together over time, producing the distinctive striped pattern of shimmering gold bands against darker red and steely metallic zones. These pieces are tumbled to a smooth polish that brings out the chatoyant shimmer in the tiger's eye layers. Each stone is natural, so the banding pattern and the balance of gold, red, and grey differ from piece to piece.
Tiger Iron Features
- Natural combination of tiger's eye, red jasper, and hematite
- Golden chatoyant bands with red and metallic grey layers
- Smooth glossy polish that catches the light
- Roughly 1 to 1.5 inches, about 5 oz per piece
- Sold individually as one hand-picked stone
- Shimmering cat's eye effect in the golden bands
Tiger Iron Benefits
Tiger Iron packs a lot of visual interest into a small stone, since the golden tiger's eye bands shift and shimmer as you turn it, set against the solid red and metallic grey for strong contrast. The polish makes the chatoyant effect really show, so it is a satisfying stone to hold and rotate in the light. The earthy red-gold-grey palette works well in warm interiors, and it makes a durable, affordable pocket or display stone for anyone drawn to banded, patterned minerals.
Tiger Iron Materials
Tiger Iron is a banded metamorphic stone made of tiger's eye (a chatoyant quartz), red jasper (an iron-rich quartz), and hematite (an iron oxide, the metallic grey layers). It rates around 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it durable and well suited to handling. Most Tiger Iron comes from Western Australia, where the banded formations are mined.
Tiger Iron Usage Tips
- Clean with warm water and a soft cloth, then dry thoroughly
- Durable at 6.5 to 7 Mohs, well suited to pocket carry and regular handling
- Turn it in the light to bring out the golden chatoyant shimmer
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight to keep the tiger's eye bands vivid
- Store apart from softer stones, since it can scratch them
Disclaimer
Size, shape, and color may vary from the photos. Each Tiger Iron stone is natural, so no two pieces are identical.
