Real Cairngorm Stone?

[merovingian]

This is all great information, thank you all much for sharing. Is real Cairngorm easily discernible from 'smokey quartz' or is it like a diamond/ zircon sort of thing? I'd love knowing I had the real thing but not sure I can afford it.

[Dughlas mor]

This is all great information, thank you all much for sharing. Is real Cairngorm easily discernible from 'smokey quartz' or is it like a diamond/ zircon sort of thing? I'd love knowing I had the real thing but not sure I can afford it.

"Real Cairngorm" is Smokey Quartz that comes from the Cairngorm mountains. It wouldn`t necessarily be distinguishable from Smokey Quartz found at many other localities in the world. Smokey quartz in general varies in color from yellowish through brown to black. Most of the Scottish stuff seems to me to be usually of more yellowish to brown hues. BTW, "faux cairngorm" likely refers to cut glass.

[Steve Ashton]

I have heard a variety of reasons you don't find real Cairngorms (Morion) today.

1) The Cairngorm mountains where these stones get their name are now within the largest national park in the British Isles.
2) Far cheaper alternatives are now readily available. Natural stones of the same gem quality are now available from Brazil, and everyday run of the mill clear Quartz can be heat treated and/or irradiated to produce the same or similar coloring.
3) It is simply not economically viable to mine for quartz in Scotland today. Many of the older mines are all but tapped out. New mines are too expensive for the commercial value of quartz. Very few gem quality Cairngorms are found during mining for the other minerals and stone in Scotland.

I'll bet Dr. Dr. Barb could give us the definitive answer to this question with references to all the available scientific journals. But she would have to use polysyllabic, unpronounceable words and would need at least 35 charts and 23 graphs.

[merovingian]

I have heard a variety of reasons you don't find real Cairngorms (Morion) today.

1) The Cairngorm mountains where these stones get their name are now within the largest national park in the British Isles.
2) Far cheaper alternatives are now readily available. Natural stones of the same gem quality are now available from Brazil, and everyday run of the mill clear Quartz can be heat treated and/or irradiated to produce the same or similar coloring.
3) It is simply not economically viable to mine for quartz in Scotland today. Many of the older mines are all but tapped out. New mines are too expensive for the commercial value of quartz. Very few gem quality Cairngorms are found during mining for the other minerals and stone in Scotland.

I'll bet Dr. Dr. Barb could give us the definitive answer to this question with references to all the available scientific journals. But she would have to use polysyllabic, unpronounceable words and would need at least 35 charts and 23 graphs.

Thank you Steve, that is some really great information. I appreciate you taking the time to share all that.