![]() ![]() The versatility of heathergems adds an impressive pop of color and texture to practically every kind of decorative accoutrement. In addition to jewelry, heathergems can be used in Christmas tree decorations, Sgian Dubhs (Scottish ornamental knives), and quaichs, which are Scottish drinking cups. The following are some of the pieces in which you can find heathergems: One of the reasons why heathergems are so appealing is that they can be used in different kinds of jewelry. The final stage is to fit those gems into a variety of different jewelry pieces. A different set of skilled craftspeople use up to five coats of lacquer on each piece to give them a distinct sheen and long-lasting durability. The shape and size of those pieces are programmed into a computer and the machine does the rest.Įxperienced artisans sand off any imperfections to make sure that each piece is completely smooth and flawless. Finally, the block is cut into different pieces of varying thickness, and then different shapes are cut out of it using a computer-controlled cutting machine. The compressed block of heather is placed in a mildly heated oven to help it set once it has fully set, it is removed from the oven and the rough edges are trimmed off of it. Next, the dyed stems are soaked in resin and compressed using 60 tons of pressure. The dried and bundled stems are dyed a variety of different colors and placed in a vacuum chamber where a heated dye is released. Several stems of various thicknesses are then bundled up together. Once the heather stems are dry, they are cut down and the bark is removed by a special machine. ![]() When the heather plant is fully grown, its stems are collected and then stored in a building as it dries out. One of the tricky things about making heathergems is that the plant only blooms twice a year on the Scottish Highlands. The making of heathergems is a precise, painstaking process perfected by Scottish artisans over a long period of time. That means heathergems are only manufactured in Scotland, which is just one of the many things that make them stand out from other forms of jewelry. So what are heathergems exactly? They are a unique kind of gem that is made from the heather plant that grows on the moors of Scotland, specifically, Pitlochry, Scotland. Heathergems are some of the most versatile and distinctive forms of jewelry available today. The final step is to lacquer them in order to bring out the brilliance of the colors and to make them smooth to the touch.Įvery Heathergem that's created is different from the last, and any piece that you own is the only quite like it in the world.Even if you are a jewelry aficionado, you might not have heard of heathergems before. The blocks are carefully cut by expert craftspeople, by hand, using a band-saw. Newly dyed heather stems of various colors are combined and compressed into blocks using enormous amounts of pressure. The heather is then dyed in various shades that are meant to reflect the natural hues found in the Scottish highlands. The stems are gathered and stripped of bark, then cleaned to prepare them for what follows. Heathergems are made from the woody stems of aging heather. Heather grows abundantly in the highlands of Scotland, and as it ages it provides little benefit to the environment and to the local wildlife. The company was formally established in 1970 as the only manufacturers of the unique and imaginative Scottish jewelry. Heathergems is a family run business based in Scotland that has handcrafted a wide variety of jewelry since the 1950's. ![]()
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