The facts
What hawk's Eye actually is
Hawk's Eye is classified as quartz (silicified crocidolite), with the composition SiO₂ after crocidolite. It crystallises in the trigonal (fibrous aggregate) system.
Colour comes from blue-grey from unoxidised crocidolite (riebeckite) fibres, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.544–1.553 (spot ~1.54). Specific gravity around 2.64–2.71. Cleavage: none. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where hawk's Eye comes from
Hawk's Eye is produced at Griqualand West, Northern Cape, South Africa.
That is the whole list. A single source makes supply fragile and makes any claim of a second origin worth questioning.
How hawk's Eye is treated
Natural blue-grey material exists; much bright blue 'hawk's eye' on the market is dyed tiger's eye. Genuine hawk's eye is a muted steel blue, not electric.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What hawk's Eye is confused with
In the trade hawk's Eye is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Dyed tiger's eye, Pietersite or Fibre-optic glass.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.544–1.553 (spot ~1.54) and specific gravity 2.64–2.71 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What hawk's Eye is used for
Demand for hawk's Eye comes from jewellery, carving and sculpture, architecture and interiors, decorative objects and mineral collecting, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the carat, by the block or by the square metre.
Durability and care
Hawk's Eye is 6.5–7 on the Mohs scale, with none cleavage.
With no cleavage plane to worry about, the practical limit is abrasion rather than breakage, and it takes daily wear well.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What hawk's Eye costs
As a guide, hawk's Eye trades around $0.30–6/ct.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is hawk's Eye treated, and how?
Natural blue-grey material exists; much bright blue 'hawk's eye' on the market is dyed tiger's eye. Genuine hawk's eye is a muted steel blue, not electric.
Where does hawk's Eye come from?
Griqualand West, Northern Cape, South Africa. That is the only commercial source.
Is hawk's Eye hard enough to wear every day?
Yes. At 6.5–7 on the Mohs scale with no cleavage plane, it handles daily wear well. The practical limit is gradual abrasion rather than chipping.
How much does hawk's Eye cost?
Indicatively $0.30–6/ct. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is hawk's Eye confused with?
Most often Dyed tiger's eye, Pietersite and Fibre-optic glass. A refractive index of 1.544–1.553 (spot ~1.54) and a specific gravity near 2.64–2.71 separate it quickly.
What is hawk's Eye used for besides jewellery?
carving and sculpture, architecture and interiors, decorative objects and mineral collecting. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
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