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Pietersite is variety of chalcedony of blue-gray, brown and yellow colors with embedded fibers of other minerals with varying degrees of alteration. The fibers cause a chatoyancy similar to that seen in tigereye, but tigereye belongs to the macrocrystalline quartz group.

Pietersite was discovered by Sid Pieters in 1962 while he was prospecting some farmland in Namibia, Africa. After his discovery, he registered the find in the mineral records of Britain. His discovery was published in 1964, and the material was named "pietersite". Currently there are only two known sources of pietersite: African and Chinese.

The fibrous structure in pietersite has been folded, stressed, even fractured and/or broken apart via the Earth's geologic processes. The fibrous materials have then been reformed and naturally recemented together by quartz. Stones and crystals that go through this process are referred to as brecciated, creating a finished gem with multiple colors, hues and superb chatoyancy.

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While pietersite has the lovely chatoyancy of tigereye, it is not found in continuously structured bands. Rather it can form in swirls, swathes and fibrous (sometimes linear) segments. Thus the structure of the fibrous streaks in pietersite may appear rather chaotic, and can flow or exist in many directions side-by-side like bold paint strokes.

African pietersite is the most sought after pietersite due to its wide rage of colors. Colors include various blues, golds and reds, that may appear together or alone. Blue is the rarest color, followed by red. The blues range from a light blue to dark midnight hue. Golds can be light to very deep and rich, sometimes having a reddish hue.

Chinese pietersite is said to have been discovered in 1993, but did not come to market until 1997. Chinese pietersite exhibits slightly different variations in color and patterns from the pietersite found in Africa. Its colors are primarily golden and bronze, but can also be found in blue shades.

Pietersite jewelry comes in a variety of colors and the jewelry made from this stone may be very attractive and unusual depending on the colors. Wearing this stone will move the growth of your psychic abilities forward as well as helping you to understand personal power issues. Pietersite is said to hold "the keys to the kingdom of heaven."