In its winter 2022 issue of Gems & Gemology, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has showcased a 126-carat “cat’s eye” emerald – among the largest ever submitted for grading – according to the GIA lab in Tokyo.
In a report on IDEX Online, the cabochon gemstone is said to be “shaped with a convex obverse rather than faceted” that “shows a pronounced chatoyant – or cat’s eye – effect.” According to the report, “that’s when a band of bright light is reflected by a series of rain-like inclusions aligned within the stone.”
“The emerald contained numerous reflective rain-like inclusions creating a chatoyant effect, whitish granular flake-like inclusions, and aggregates of tiny whitish crystals,” the lab said in its report in Gems & Gemology.
