Scotland
- Local Products -
Traditional Crafts -
Silverware and Jewellery
Unique jewellery and silverware abounds in Scotland. Most jewellery
is fashioned from silver, pewter, and to a lesser extent gold. Designs
are based on ancient Celtic symbols, the famous thistle or the art
nouveau motifs of Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
Popular items include brooches, necklaces, tiepins and cuff links
and of course, kilt pins. These are often set with the Cairngorm
stones, quartz crystals, coloured in various shades with iron that
comes from the Cairngorm Mountains.
Luckenbooth
Brooches
Luckenbooth Brooches, featuring two intertwined hearts, date from
the early 1700s when they were exchanged between lovers when they
became betrothed. The name comes from the fact that they were sold
from "locked booths" along the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.
When the first child was born the brooch was pinned to the baby's
shawl to protect him from evil spirits.
Kilt Pins
The Kilt Pin became fashionable in the 1800s and is still worn on
kilts today. The pins range from very plain silver to elaborate
pieces set with Cairngorm stones or other gems.
Heather Gem
Jewellery
Heathergems
are not actually stones, but are highly polished coloured gems made
from dried heather stems in Pitlochry in the Central Highlands.
The heather stems are picked, dyed and compressed before being cut
and lacquered. No two gems are the same.
Quaichs
Quaichs
are drinking vessels peculiar to Scotland. From the Gaelic "cuach",
a cup or bowl, quaichs were originally made of wood and used daily
as a cup. Today they are made of pewter and silver and have become
popular collectibles, often decorated with beautiful celtic designs.
Sporrans
The
sporran is worn with scottish kilts. It is hung around the waist
to the front, and at one time was used to carry food or drink. Sporrans
may be decorated with clan crests and are made from a huge variety
of different skins, furs and tassels.
Useful links
Baxter Jewellers
Ortak
Jewellery
Donaldsons
of Crieff
Hector
Russell Sporrans
