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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Chatoyance is the shifting shimmer you see when a wood surface changes in apparent brightness, color, or depth as you tilt it or change your viewing angle. It is an optical effect—not a type of wood—and it is especially noticeable in figured woods such as curly or quilted maple.
What chatoyance looks like in wood
Hold a figured board under steady light and move it slowly. Some areas may seem to brighten, darken, or deepen as the angle changes, giving the surface a sense of movement. The effect comes from light reflecting toward the viewer from wood cells oriented in different directions, as WOOD Magazine explains in its 2019 explanation of chatoyance.
The French root of “chatoyance” refers to a cat’s eye, an apt image for an appearance that shifts with the angle. In woodworking, however, the term describes the surface’s changing optical look, not a separate material or species.
Chatoyance versus figure
Figure is the visible pattern in the wood, such as curls, waves, or quilting. Chatoyance is the angle-dependent shimmer that can make that pattern seem to move or gain depth. The two are related, but they are not interchangeable: figure describes the pattern, while chatoyance describes how the appearance changes as the viewing angle changes. PZC Chatometry’s overview of chatoyance also treats the optical effect and the underlying figure as distinct.
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Curly and quilted maple are familiar examples because their pronounced figure can make the shifting appearance easy to see. Individual boards vary, though; a species name alone does not guarantee chatoyance.
What affects the effect?
Wood-cell and grain directions influence how reflected light reaches the eye. That is the practical explanation offered by woodworking sources; it does not mean one growth-related cause explains every piece or every kind of figure.
Lighting, viewing angle, the particular board, and its surface preparation all affect how clearly the shimmer appears. To compare samples, use the same lighting and move each piece through similar angles. Compare like with like rather than assuming that a species or finish will always produce a particular result.
Can finishing make chatoyance stand out?
Finishing can affect how visible the figure and its shifting appearance are, but there is no universally best finish established for every wood and project. WOOD Magazine notes that dyes can enhance chatoyance by penetrating the cell structure and adding a three-dimensional appearance to otherwise flat-looking wood.
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A WoodWorkers Guild of America demonstration shows aniline dye applied to figured maple, followed by light sanding back and a topcoat; it also discusses shellac and boiled linseed oil as finishes that can help the figure stand out. Those are examples, not universal product recommendations or a controlled ranking of finishes. If the final appearance matters, test the complete schedule—including dye, sanding, and topcoat—on scrap from the same board.
Is chatoyance a flaw to sand away?
No. Chatoyance is a visual quality, not a surface defect. Sanding and surface preparation matter to the finish, but the shifting appearance itself is not something to remove as though it were damage.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How is chatoyance measured?
PZC Chatometry presents its PZC method as a way to measure chatoyance. Its summary table reports coverage of 708 different wood types as of June 15, 2026. That is the site’s stated dataset scope, not an independently validated census of wood types. Its publisher description of the Woodworker’s Guide to Chatoyance separately reports 573 wood species and finishing tests on 26 species; these are publisher-reported scope figures, not independently verified findings.
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