Ok I have your attention… or not..
What exactly is Chatoyancy…
Firstly…
This one vocabulary word sets the serious woodworker apart from his casual counterparts.
I love Chatoyancy and I am sure you do too even if you do not know just what it is…..
So this is what I mean…
Some woods (with some finishes) offer different looks when struck by light at different angles.
Highly figure piece of Tasmania Myrtle.
Chatoyancy is the way light strikes the various grains of timber and gives the effect of it being 3 dimensional.
I hope you find the opportunity to use this word in normal conversation and impress all your woodworking buddies… I know I have… it is a lot of fun…
And one more for kicks…
Quilted Maple.
Lazy Larry's Workshop 
BEAUTIFUL WOOD LARRY, YOU ARE THE MAN WHEN IT COMES TO USING WOOD TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CHATOYANCY …..MIKE
what gorgeous wood!
WoW!
Wood to kill for!
Regards
Bill
While not nearly as beautiful as the timbers you’ve shown here, as you flip a length of sapele from end to end, you’ll notice that the dark stripes become light and vice-versa! 🙂