Cat's eye chrysoberyl
Variety BeAl2O4
Also called Cymophane and Cat's eye
About it
Honey-coloured chrysoberyl cut as a cabochon to show a sharp line of light from fine parallel needles. A gem called just "cat's eye" means this one; Sri Lanka and Brazil are the classic sources.
- Type
- Variety
- Group
- Chrysoberyl variety
- Formula
- BeAl2O4
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 8.5
- Specific gravity
- 3.7–3.78
- Streak
- white
- Lustre
- vitreous (glassy), silky
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Colours
- honey yellow, greenish yellow, brown
- Transparency
- translucent
- Cleavage and fracture
- distinct prismatic; conchoidal to uneven fracture
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.