Natural Cat Eye (Lehsunia) Stone in Pakistan

Where the eye comes from

The effect is called chatoyancy. Thousands of fine, parallel needle-like inclusions inside the stone catch the light and throw it back as one band. To show it, the cutter must shape a smooth cabochon with the needles lying perfectly flat. Under a single light, a good stone's line slides from side to side as you turn it. Shine a torch from one side and you may see "milk and honey": one half turns milky while the other stays golden.

Chrysoberyl, quartz or glass

Several materials can show an eye, and which one you have makes a big difference to value:

• Chrysoberyl cat's eye - the true, classic Lehsunia. Very hard at 8.5 on the Mohs scale, with a silky honey, golden or greenish body. Sri Lanka and India are well-known sources.
• Quartz cat's eye - softer and much cheaper, with a broader, fuzzier eye. It is sometimes sold as Lehsunia, so always check the mineral on the listing.
• Glass "cat's eye" - made from fibre-optic glass, which often shows a honeycomb pattern when viewed from the side.

What makes one Lehsunia worth more

Check the eye first: it should be sharp, narrow, straight and sitting in the centre of the dome. Then body colour, where honey-gold and apple-green are favourites, followed by translucency, a well-shaped symmetrical dome and size. A stone with a crisp eye and fine colour can cost many times more than one with a blurry or off-centre line. Divide a listing's price by its carat weight to get the per-carat rate.

Checking a cat's eye

Under one light source, genuine chrysoberyl shows a single clean line that moves smoothly as you tilt it, and the stone feels cold and heavy for its size. Quartz and chrysoberyl can look alike to an untrained eye, so for a significant purchase an independent lab report is worth having. Our authenticity page explains how we check stones before listing.

Lehsunia in Vedic astrology

In Vedic astrology Lehsunia belongs to Ketu and is traditionally worn for protection and in hope of sudden good fortune, usually set in silver or panchdhatu on the middle or little finger. Like Neelam, custom says it should only be worn after proper advice. These are beliefs, not guarantees, so speak to an experienced astrologer about weight, metal and finger.

Care

Chrysoberyl is very durable. Warm soapy water keeps it clean; store it away from diamonds and sapphires, which can scratch it.

Ordering cat's eye from Authentic Gems

We check every stone and photograph it under ordinary light so you can see the eye clearly. Delivery is a flat Rs. 500 by insured, tracked courier, usually 1 to 2 working days in Karachi, 2 to 4 for Lahore, Islamabad and other big cities and up to about 7 for smaller towns. Pay Cash on Delivery after you have looked at the stone, and our 7-day return policy covers unused stones in original condition.