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How to Fix a Scuffed Cat's Eye Stone

A cat's eye, or chrysoberyl, is a protective gemstone. Often golden with a narrow band of a lighter color running across the center, the stone looks like a cat's eye winking. The gemstone is associated with wealth, discipline and self-control. According to alternative healers, wearers of the stone can transform negative thoughts and energy into positive thoughts. Cat's eye is a hard gem but can become scuffed. To repair scuffs and scratches in a cat's eye gem, smooth and polish the stone in a rock polisher.

Things You'll Need

Cat's eye
Other gemstones or rocks
Rock polisher or tumbler
Water
1 tbsp. coarse silicon carbide 80 grit
1 tbsp. coarse silicon carbide 220 grit
1 tbsp. coarse silicon carbide 400 grit
1 tbsp. cerium oxide

Instructions

- 1
  Place the cat's eye gemstones in a rock tumbler. The barrel of the tumbler should be approximately 3/4 fill with gemstones. To polish the cat's eye and remove any scratches or scuff marks, you need other stones to tumble with the cat's eye. If you do not have any other gemstones to add to the tumbler, add rocks.
- 2
  Add water to the barrel of the tumbler until the cat's eyes are covered. Take one heaping tablespoon of coarse silicon carbide 80 grit and add to the barrel. Tumble the cat's eyes for approximately seven days in the rock tumbler. Check the gemstones periodically. If the cat's eye is really scuffed, you may want to tumble the gemstone for up to 10 days.
- 3
  Clean the barrel and cat's eye thoroughly with warm water. Replace the cat's eyes in the barrel and cover the stones with water. Add 1 tbsp coarse silicon carbide 220 grit to the rock tumbler this time. Run the rock tumbler for five days.
- 4
  Rinse the cat's eye and the barrel of the tumbler before placing the gemstones with water in the rock tumbler. Include 1 tbsp coarse silicon carbide 400 grit. Run the polisher for seven days.
- 5
  Tumble the cat's eyes a final time with cerium oxide. Clean the cat's eyes and the barrel with warm soapy water. Be sure to clean completely to remove all of the remaining grit. Place the cat's eyes in the barrel and cover with water. Add 1 tbsp cerium oxide to the barrel this time. Run the tumbler for seven days for a final polish. The cat's eyes should be smooth and free of scratches.

Rocks & Minerals