1. A luminous optical effect in certain gemstones (such as cat's eye or tiger's eye) that resembles the gleam of a cat's eye and shifts as the stone is moved.
Usage: plural of chatoyance; technical term used in gemology and jewelry

Examples

• The chatoyances in the tiger's eye cabochon made it a prized gemstone.
• Jewelers value stones that display strong chatoyances when rotated under light.
• The chatoyances of the chrysoberyl created a mesmerizing shimmer.
• Different minerals exhibit chatoyances at varying angles and intensities.
• The collector admired the chatoyances visible in each stone of the collection.