Cairngorms

[Mavericker]

Hello. How valuable are cairngorms as gemstones? Do they serve any scientific purposes?

[Polwarth]

Cheap as chips.

[pogofish]

Not a great deal, unless you have a large & perfectly shaped/flawless crystal & can prove its provenance. Even then, you might get a decent sum but don't plan to retire on it.

In the past, a big annoyance in the hills were the "collectors" who thought nothing of lugging a cold-chisel & sledgehammer with them to pulverise any likely looking rocks, repeatedly. Instead of using the traditional method of scouring the debris in run-offs or the aftermath of rockfalls after the spring thaw. Nothing other than sheer vandalism IMO!

IIRC, Most of the Cairngorms on sale today don't come from Scotland, instead they are imported in bulk from South America.

[Mavericker]

Cairngorms I know are a type of quartz, and most quartzes have a MOH's Scale's hardness of 7.

Are there any gemstones that are found only in Scotland?

[kathyv]

My hubby has a tie clip with heather 'stone' in it. It's pretty but I don't think you can call it a 'gem' stone!

He got it close to Ben Nevis and the porriage mines! heeheehee

[SherbrookeJacobite]

Originally Posted by Mavericker

Hello. How valuable are cairngorms as gemstones? Do they serve any scientific purposes?

I thought the Cairngorms were a mountain range??? I have never heard of a gemstone called a cairngorm.

Does this mean that Mavericker is gormless?

[Polwarth]

Cairngorms are stones (presumably found in The Cairngorms) - not very valuable but pretty when polished - often found in the top of kilt pins or sgian dubhs or brooches.