The Gem of Ketu

Cat's eye, properly the chrysoberyl variety cymophane, is prized for chatoyancy — a single sharp band of light that moves across the stone like the slit pupil of a cat's eye, caused by densely packed parallel fibrous inclusions or hollow tubes within the crystal. Cut as a smooth-domed cabochon to display this effect, fine cat's eye chrysoberyl is also the gem most strongly associated with Ketu in Vedic astrology.

Gemologically, cat's eye is described as translucent to semi-transparent, with a vitreous to silky (on cabochon surface) luster — qualities that shape how it catches and carries light once cut. Its colour comes from iron, and a Mohs hardness in this range holds up well to daily wear, making it a practical choice for rings as well as earrings and pendants.

What Causes the Cat's Eye Effect

Chatoyancy in cat's eye chrysoberyl comes from a dense array of microscopic, parallel hollow tubes or needle-like inclusions running through the crystal in a single direction. When the stone is cut as a cabochon with its dome aligned across these inclusions, light reflecting off them concentrates into a single bright line that appears to glide across the surface as the stone or light source moves — unlike the six-rayed star of star ruby or star sapphire, which comes from three intersecting sets of inclusions and produces a star rather than a single band. A sharp, centred, single-line eye that stays unbroken as the stone is turned is the hallmark of fine-quality material.

Where Cat's Eye Comes From

Lehsunia / Vaidurya — Lunar South Node's Stone

In Indian Vedic astrology (Jyotish Shastra), cat's eye is known as Lehsunia / Vaidurya and is associated with Ketu (Lunar South Node).

How Cat's Eye Is Graded

Quality in cat's eye is generally assessed across colour, clarity, cut, and carat weight — with colour and overall character typically the dominant factors in value.

What a Lab Report Confirms

A lab report identifies the species, describes colour, and discloses any treatment. Genuine chrysoberyl cat's eye is essentially always natural and untreated. A range of other, less expensive chatoyant stones — including quartz cat's eye, and dyed or fibre-optic glass imitations — are also sold as 'cat's eye' in the market, so confirming the species (chrysoberyl vs. quartz or glass) is an important part of any lab report.

Natural, Ethical, Jaipur-Sourced

Every cat's eye in the Paraiso Jewels vault is described accurately as to its natural or treated status on its label. We source through Jaipur's gem market — one of the world's oldest and most concentrated coloured-stone trading centres — and our stones can be verified at GTL Jaipur, the region's principal gem testing authority.

On request, each piece can be accompanied by documentation covering weight, dimensions, and treatment status. If you have questions about the origin or treatment of a specific stone, contact us via WhatsApp or email and we'll provide full details.