Cairngorm

[china]

Hi all,
I wish to purchase a peice of Cairngorm rough 35mmx20mmx20mm preferably yellowish, I know I can use smokey quartz, this is
for a special item and if I can I would like to use a genuine peice stone from Scotland, I will be able to have it faceted localy,
will need to be posted to South Australia.

[CJ57]

Hi China you might want to read the posts on this forum re Cairngorms http://gemologyonline.com/Forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=6514
As a Scot myself I've always thought that it was a term used by Americans for smoky Quartz, but I've never known of any new Cairngorms, they are usually found in antique, particularly Victorian jewellery. I think that you would need to buy an antique piece and reuse a stone if you want an original Cairngorm but that wouldn't fit in with your sizing

[china]

Thank you for that very interesting, I am always happy to learn something new, now I know why it is so hard to locate
looks like it may be more difficult than I thought may have to settle for a peice of smoky quartz.

[CJ57]

Someone asked about Scottish stones last year but they may all be agates I haven't looked recently. http://www.scotlandsagates.co.uk/page4.html

I've had a look and they are all agates but at least they are Scottish. Many of them are found within a few miles of where I live and I've often found them turned over by the plough in neighbouring farms. I also have an ancient collection off the beach at Balmerino and Montrose when I was much younger

[china]

This item is to be mounted on the handle of a skian duhb, not one of the souvenir shop ones, this one is hand made currently making the handle and scabard next will come the silver mounts and then stone mounted on top. It is for a relation of mine's 60th birthday

[ps_bond]

Pattern welded blade?

[CJ57]

This item is to be mounted on the handle of a skian duhb, not one of the souvenir shop ones, this one is hand made currently making the handle and scabard next will come the silver mounts and then stone mounted on top. It is for a relation of mine's 60th birthday
Sounds lovely, look forward to seeing the finished item. It probably does need a clear stone rather than an agate, a very dark citrine or amethyst would look lovely too, smoky Quartz might be a bit dark. As someone said on the link ametrine is what is probably passed as cairngorm. I see a lot of amethyst in Scottish jewellery these days

[china]

No the blade is not patern welded I have not ventured into that at this stage, amethyst sounds like a good idea especially seeing I already have some, I wiil definarely post a pic when finiished