Cat's Eye Apatite Gemstone Information

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Cat's eye apatite is a variety of apatite, which exhibits a rare optical trait known as 'chatoyancy'. Chatoyancy is a natural phenomenon known to occur in only a handful of different gem types, including chrysoberyl, the original and most well-known variety of cat's eye. The chatoyancy effect is a unique reflection of light that resembles the slit-eye of a cat when viewed under certain lighting conditions. The cat's eye effect is highly desirable and is usually the result of parallel fibers or needle-like inclusions formed within the stone. Cat's eye apatite is best viewed under direct lighting.

Although apatite is actually abundant in mineral form, it rarely occurs in transparent, gemstone-quality material. Owing to its extreme rarity, apatite is one of the 'lesser-known' gemstones and primarily classified as a collector's stone. Apatite is actually a group of phosphate minerals, composed of calcium phosphate, the very same material that makes up the teeth and bones of humans and other animals. Apatite is a primary source for phosphorus, an essential chemical used in bioenergetics and photosynthesis, and is widely used for the production of fertilizers, explosives, fireworks, pesticides, toothpaste, detergents and pharmaceutical products.

Identifying Cat's Eye Apatite Cat's Eye Apatite Origin Buying Cat's Eye Apatite Cat's Eye Apatite Gemological Properties Cat's Eye Apatite Varieties Cat's Eye Apatite Mythology Cat's Eye Apatite Jewelry Cat's Eye Apatite Gemstone Care

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Cat's eye apatite is an extreme rarity, but it can be found in a number of origins, including Algeria, Austria, Burma (Myanmar), Brazil, Canada, Egypt, Germany, India, Israel, Kenya, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Tunisia and the USA.

Cat's Eye Apatite Color

Cat's eye apatite can occur in variety of colors, including pink, yellow, green, blue and violet. Color saturation is usually the most important factor when evaluating apatite, but for cat's eye gemstones, the strength and sharpness of the 'eye' is the most valuable trait, followed closely by intensity of color.

Cat's Eye Apatite Clarity and Luster

Cat's eye apatite has a vitreous luster. Cat's eye apatite is typically translucent to transparent in clarity. Almost all apatite gemstones exhibit visible inclusions; eye-clean specimens are especially rare.

Cat's Eye Apatite Cut and Shape

Cat's eye apatite is always cut en cabochon. Cabochons maximize the desirable trait of chatoyancy. Most cabochons are oval, since cutters try to preserve as much carat weight as possible. Cat's eye apatite may also be cut into round cabochons or pear-shaped cabochons, but these are quite rare.

Cat's Eye Apatite Treatment

Cat's eye apatite stones are typically untreated gems. Some specifically colored varieties, such as bright blue and green stones, may be color-enhanced though heat treatment. Irradiation treatment may also be used to improve chatoyancy. In any case, all gemstone treatments and enhancements should always be disclosed by trusted gemstone dealers.

Please refer to our Gemstone Glossary for details of gemology-related terms.

Buy Apatite Gems

Cat's eye apatite is a rare and unique, chatoyant variety of apatite. Apatite in general is one the lesser-known gem types, making 'cat's eye apatite' virtually unheard of. There are a number of other minerals and gemstones that can be easily confused with apatite, such as beryl, tourmaline, sphene and topaz. Most varieties of apatite are simply trade names used to reference color or regional locality, which are typically used only by gem traders and collectors.

There are also other gem varieties that can occur with chatoyancy, including cat's eye chrysoberyl, quartz, tourmaline, sillimanite and aquamarine. In many cases, because apatite can occur in a wide variety of colors, it can be easily confused with other cat's eye gemstones.

Most Popular Similar Gemstones and Minerals:

Light-green 'asparagus stone' apatite, neon-blue apatite, neon blue-green apatite, violet-purple apatite and green apatite are the most popular and well-known trade names used for similar gems.

Lesser-Known Similar Gemstones and Minerals:

Carbonate apatite (carbonate-rich), collophane apatite, mangan-apatite, sammite-apatite, staffelite-apatite and moroxite apatite are the least-known trade names used for similar or related minerals.

Apatite is one of the least-known gems, so it has very little fame, myth and legend. Apatite is not an official birthstone for any month, but in the scheme of astrology and planetary energy, it is related to the zodiacal stone of Gemini. Owing to the fact apatite is actually part of our composition, cat's eye apatite is believed to have many physical healing abilities. Physically, it is thought to help heal and strengthen our teeth, bones and cartilage. Apatite is also believed to boost our calcium absorption levels. Cat's eye apatite is said to alleviate pain and suffering caused by arthritis or other joint-related health problems, such as gout. In addition, apatite is used to help ease hunger pangs and decrease 'appetite'.

Cat's eye apatite is a stone of learning. It is also believed to be a stone of inspiration. It is associated with the element of fire and it is extremely helpful when trying to overcome fears. Cat's eye apatite has the metaphysical ability to help turn thought into action. It is associated with the solar plexus chakra, but owing to its range of color occurrences, it can actually benefit and balance all of the chakras. Apatite has the power to encourage extroversion and draw out negative forces, while stimulating creativity. Overall, cat's eye apatite is very powerful and quite popular for those who believe in the metaphysical powers of gems.

Apatite is fairly soft and lacks durability, rendering it unsuitable for most types of jewelry. However, it can be worn with care, but its use in jewelry should be limited to earrings, pendants or brooches. Cat's eye apatite cabochons are most popularly used for matching earrings. If wearing cat's eye apatite in a gemstone cabochon ring, it is best to wear it only occasionally and have it set using protective-style settings, such as a bezel or channel-style mounting. Apatite is typically faceted only for display, but the recent availability of apatite gemstones with bright neon colors has increased the popularity of apatite jewelry. Despite its growing popularity, cat's eye apatite will rarely be found in local jewelry stores, which means buying from online gemstone dealers is typically the only way to acquire apatite gemstones.

Note: Buy colored gemstones by size and not by carat weight. Colored stones vary in size-to-weight ratio. Some stones are larger and others are smaller than diamond by weight in comparison.

Apatite is rather soft, rating only 5 on the Mohs scale, so it can be easily scratched by other materials. It also has a very brittle tenacity, and it is sensitive to abrasives, chemicals and heat. When cleaning your gemstones, avoid using ultrasonic cleaners and steamers. It is best to simply wipe down your cat's eye apatite gemstones using a soft cloth and warm, soapy water. Be sure to rinse the stones well to remove any excess soapy residue.

Always remove jewelry prior to performing household chores, exercising or playing any harsh sports. When storing gems and jewelry, always store them separately and away from other types of gems. It is always best to wrap your gemstones individually using a soft cloth and place them inside a fabric-lined box.