Two Antique Handcrafted Genuine Natural Smoky Quartz Crystal Faceted Oval Cut Semi-Precious Gemstones from Mount Cairngorm, Scotland. Mounted into contemporary high quality sterling silver studs.
CLASSIFICATION: Smoky Quartz Faceted Oval Cut Semi-Precious Gemstones.
ORIGIN: Mount Cairngorm, Scotland. 19th Century Gemstones. Contemporary Setting.
SIZE: Length: 10mm. Width: 8mm. Depth: 6mm. All measurements approximate.
WEIGHT: 4.95 carats (the pair).
NOTE: These earring settings are also available in solid 14kt gold. Other setting styles (euro clicks, lever backs, kidney wires, various other specialty studs, simple studs, ball/stud dangles) are available upon request, both in sterling silver, as well as 14kt solid gold and in 14kt gold fill.
DETAIL: Smoky quartz from Mount Cairngorm, Scotland, known as "cairngorm", and since ancient times has been a favorite ornamental gemstone. Smoky Quartz was and is a favorite ornamental stone set into the pommel of the Scottish dirk, or “black dagger”, a long dagger with a straight blade that is a prerequisite of Highland costume. Smoky quartz is the national gemstone of Scotland and has been considered a sacred stone for millennia, a belief dating back to the Druids. However other ancient cultures have used smoky quartz, and the Cairngorm Mountains were not the only source of smoky quartz in the ancient world. Much of the smoky quartz in the classical Mediterranean World came from the Swiss Alps. The Romans made extensive use of smoky quartz for carved intaglio seals, and fragments of smoky quartz vases have been uncovered in the excavations of ancient Babylonian Ur. Many ancient cultures attributed many mystical properties to quartz crystals. They were particularly used in sorcery, magic, and witchcraft in part due to the "secret magical powers" evidenced by the weak electrical charge quartz crystals carry.
Here are two very uncommon semi-precious gemstones from Victorian-era Scotland, specifically Mount Cairngorm. Very popular in 18th and 19th century Victorian Scotland, these gemstones are known either as “Smoky” or “Cairngorm” Quartz. Generally “crystal” clear, the smoky tone is caused by the natural radiation emanating from granite stone the quartz is exposed to while buried in the earth. These are very handsome oval cut smoky quartz crystal gemstones.These particular specimens are completely transparent, with beautiful sparkle and luster. They are exceptionally clean, water clear, and very bright. They are a gorgeous smoky brown color. The gemstones were hand crafted and faceted by a 19th century artisan, part of an heritage renown for the production of the elaborate gemstones and jewelry of the Czars of Medieval, Renaissance, and Victorian Europe.
Under magnification the gemstones show the unmistakable, hallmark characteristics of having been hand crafted. The coarseness of the 19th century finish is considered appealing to most gemstone aficionados, and is not considered a detriment, or detract from the value of such gemstones. These characteristics are not only expected of hand-finished gemstones, many believe that such antique hand-crafted gemstones possess much greater character and appeal than today's mass-produced, laser-cut gemstones. Unlike today’s computer controlled machine produced gemstones that approach flawlessness in a perfect finish, the cut and finish of handcrafted gemstones like these is the legacy of an artisan who lived two centuries ago.
The earring settings are of contemporary origin. They are high quality settings manufactured by one of the USA’s leading semi-custom mount producers. They are constructed of sterling silver; they are not cheap, imported silver electroplated nickel costume jewelry earrings such as those flooding the USA and European market places from Asia (and oftentimes fraudulently described as "sterling silver"). They are composed of genuine solid sterling silver, heirloom quality earring settings designed to last a lifetime. They are first-class pieces of jewelry throughout. There are many other setting styles available which, in sterling silver, could be substituted for either no or nominal extra cost. Please write us, ask, we can send you photos of the various alternative earring styles available. We can also reset the gemstones into 14kt solid gold or 14kt gold fill upon request.
Handcrafted though they may be these gemstones have great luster and sparkle, and to the eye are completely transparent, but one cannot say with absolute certainty that they are absolutely flawless. True, the blemishes they possess are not visible to the naked eye, and the gemstones can be characterized at a minimum, to use trade jargon, as "eye clean". To the eye they are indeed flawless; however magnified as they are here in the accompanying photo enlargements you might be able to pick out one or two slight blemishes within the gemstones, barely perceptible even at such high magnification. Of course much the same may said about almost any natural gemstone. An absolutely flawless gemstone simply is not the rule in nature. Most absolutely flawless gemstones will upon close examination be revealed to be synthetic.
You might also notice under magnification occasional irregularities in the cut and finish. Naturally these characteristics are not only expected of hand-finished gemstones, you must also consider that two centuries ago the mining techniques even theoretically possible, let alone commonly practiced, did not allow the ultra deep mining operations which are so commonplace today. Keep in mind that two centuries ago mankind was more or less limited to surface deposits or near surface deposits of gemstones. Higher quality gemstones which today are routinely mined from beneath hundreds of meters, even kilometers beneath the earth's surface, were simply inaccessible then.
It is precisely for these reasons antique gemstones must be appreciated as antiques first, gemstones second. The relatively superlative quality of contemporary gemstones routinely mined from deep beneath the earth's surface today were simply not accessible two centuries ago, or at least, only rarely so. However for most, the unique nature and character of these antique gemstones more than makes up for the blemishes found within the gemstones, as well as the cutting irregularities common to handcrafted gemstones, all of which are by and large (if at all) are only visible under magnification.
HISTORY OF SMOKY QUARTZ: Smoky quartz from Mount Cairngorm, Scotland, known as "cairngorm", has since ancient times has been a favorite ornamental gemstone. It is the national gemstone of Scotland and has been considered a sacred stone there for millennia, a belief dating back to the Druids. The Celtic population of the British called smoky quartz they mined in the Cairngorm Mountains of the Scottish highlands “morion”, and the yellow-brown to gray-brown crystals mined there “cairngorm” Beginning in the seventeenth century, craftsmen of Scottish weapons began to incorporate smoky quartz or citrines from the Cairngorm Mountains into shoulder brooches, kilt pins and dirk pommels.
Smoky quartz was and is a favorite ornamental stone set into the pommel of the Scottish dirk, or “black dagger”, a long dagger with a straight blade that is a prerequisite of Highland costume, having first appeared in the eighteenth century as a military accoutrement. A man’s “sgian dubh” (literally “black dagger” but also known as a “sock knife”) was invariably carried in a place of concealment, very often under his armpit. However when calling on another household Highland protocol called for men to deposit their weapons (claymore or broadsword, dirk, pistols, etc.) at the front door. Nonetheless even when visiting friends it was not safe to be entirely unarmed, and so Highlanders kept their dirk close at hand.
But out of courtesy to his host the proper Highland gentleman would remove it from under his armpit and put it somewhere where his host could see it, usually in his stocking, which incidentally also made it even quicker to access if needed. Even the Scottish royal scepter features a cairngorm stone. It is made of silver gilt and topped by a 2½ inch sphere of Scottish smoky quartz and a Scottish pearl. It was a gift in 1494 A.D. from Pope Alexander VI to King James IV, as a symbol of papal support for Scotland, a “special daughter” of the Holy See.
Together with a royal crown and sword, the three items form the Scottish “honors”, first used together at the coronation Mary, Queen of Scots at Stirling Castle in 1543. They were last used at the coronation of King Charles II at Scone Palace, the ancient crowning place of the kings of Scotland, on January 1, 1651, the last coronation to ever take place in Scotland. Other ancient cultures have used smoky quartz, and the Cairngorm Mountains were not the only source of smoky quartz in the ancient world. Much of the smoky quartz in the classical Mediterranean World came from the Swiss Alps. Fragments of smoky quartz vases have been uncovered in the excavations of ancient Babylonian Ur.
Smoky quartz was popular in ancient times with the Romans, who used the stone for carving intaglio seals. In the Middle Ages the most important deposit of smoky quartz was in Upper Silesia (now Poland). According to legend, a crystal ball of smoky quartz was the scrying or diving tool used by the renowned Dr. John Dee (1527-1608), alchemist, mathematician, astrologer, magician, and court diviner to Queen Elizabeth I of England (1533-1603). In Medieval Europe smoky quartz gemstones were often engraved with the image of a man in armor holding a bow and arrow. The stone supposedly guarded the wearer and the place where it was situated.
According to some historical references, smoky quartz was made into “sunglasses” in 12th century Medieval China, so that judges could use the smoky quartz glasses to hide their facial expressions when they interrogated witnesses. Later smoky quartz gained popularity as a material from whence snuff bottles were carved. Historically smoky quartz was often used shamanistic rituals, particularly in North American Indian ceremonies where smoky quartz was often found at the top of ritual wands used by some Indian cultures. It was particularly prized by the Cherokees. In fact throughout the history of the ancient world gemstones were believed capable of curing illness, possessed of valuable metaphysical properties, and to provide protection.
Found in Egypt dated 1500 B. C., the "Papyrus Ebers" offered one of most complete therapeutic manuscripts containing prescriptions using gemstones and minerals. Gemstones were not only valued for their medicinal and protective properties, but also for educational and spiritual enhancement. In the ancient world smoky quartz was recognized as a gemstone which possessed healing properties, and was also used by shamans to bring rain. Smoky quartz when worn as a talisman was also believed to protect the wearer from negative forces, surrounding the wearer with a barrier of protective energy. In the ancient world smoky quartz was often associated with the Greco-Roman Goddess Hecate, the goddess of magic, witchcraft, and necromancy (the summoning of the spirit of a deceased person).
Modern practitioners sometimes refer to smoky quartz as "the dream stone," as it is thought to enhance dreams, meditation, and channeling abilities. Smoky quartz is regarded as calming, soothing, comforting and stabilizing, with the power to restore balance and harmony, transform negative emotions to more positive energies, and to improve clarity of thought. Modern practitioners use smoky quartz to treat stress, depression, nightmares, fear, panic, depression, and pessimism. It is believed to help dispose of “psychic waste”, and to foster the courage to make changes and break bad habits, especially old beliefs and emotions that prevent one from experiencing life fully.
On the physical side, smoky quartz is regarded as a powerful healer, used to help remove toxins from the body and aid the proper functioning of the kidneys (relieving fluid retention), adrenals, and pancreas. It is also used to help balance sexual energies, as well as help increase fertility. Worn as an amulet, smoky quartz is said to keep the mind clear, banish confusion, clear ambivalence, fortify resolve, help the wearer consciously focus on spiritual growth, and heighten the wearer’s understanding of nature and the environment. Contemporary spiritualists claim that smoky quartz Smokey Quartz is a very powerful scrying stone, revealing visions of dragons, strange astral realms and ancient secrets.
HISTORY OF SILVER: After gold, silver is the metal most widely used in jewelry and the most malleable. The oldest silver artifacts found by archaeologists date from ancient Sumeria about 4,000 B.C. At many points in the ancient world, it was actually more costly than gold, particularly in ancient Egypt. Silver is found in native form (i.e., in nuggets), as an alloy with gold (electrum), and in ores containing sulfur, arsenic, antimony or chlorine. Much of the silver originally found in the ancient world was actually a natural alloy of gold and silver (in nugget form) known as “electrum”.
The first large-scale silver mines were in Anatolia (ancient Turkey) and Armenia, where as early as 4,000 B.C. silver was extracted from lead ores by means of a complicated process known as “smelting”. Even then the process was not perfect, as ancient silver does contain trace elements, typically lead, gold, bismuth and other metals, and as much as a third of the silver was left behind in the slag. However measuring the concentrations of the “impurities” in ancient silver can help the forensic jewelry historian in determining the authenticity of classical items. From Turkey and Armenia silver refining technology spread to the rest of Asia Minor and Europe.
By about 2,500 B.C. the Babylonians were one of the major refiners of silver. Silver “treasures” recovered by archaeologists from the second and third millenniums demonstrate the high value the ancient Mediterranean and Near East placed upon silver. Some of the richest burials in history uncovered by archaeologists have been from this time frame, that of Queen Puabi of Ur, Sumeria (26th century B.C.); Tutankhamun (14th century B.C.), and the rich Trojan (25th century B.C.) and Mycenaean (18th century B.C.) treasures uncovered by Heinrich Schliemann.
The ancient Egyptians believed that the skin of their gods was composed of gold, and their bones were thought to be of silver. When silver was introduced into Egypt, it probably was more valuable than gold (silver was rarer and more valuable than gold in many Mesoamerican cultures as well). In surviving inventories of valuables, items of silver were listed above those of gold during the Old Kingdom. Jewelry made of silver was almost always thinner than gold pieces, as indicated by the bracelets of the 4th Dynasty (about 2,500 B.C.) Queen Hetephere I, in marked contrast to the extravagance of her heavy gold jewelry.
A silver treasure excavated by archaeologists and attributable to the reign of Amenemhat II who ruled during the 12th Dynasty (about 1900 B.C.), contained fine silver items which were actually produced in Crete, by the ancient Minoans. When the price of silver finally did fall due to more readily available supplies, for at least another thousand years (through at least the 19th dynasty, about 1,200 B.C.) the price of silver seems to have been fixed at half that of gold. Several royal mummies attributable to about 1,000 B.C. were even entombed in solid silver coffins.
Around 1,000 B.C. Greek Athenians began producing silver from the Laurium mines, and would supply much of the ancient Mediterranean world with its silver for almost 1,000 years. This ancient source was eventually supplemented around 800 B.C. (and then eventually supplanted) by the massive silver mines found in Spain by the Phoenicians and their colony (and ultimate successors) the Carthaginians (operated in part by Hannibal’s family). With the defeat of Carthage by Rome, the Romans gained control of these vast deposits, and mined massive amounts of silver from Spain, stripping entire forests regions for timber to fuel smelting operations. In fact, it was not until the Middle Ages that Spain’s silver mines (and her forests) were finally exhausted.
Although known during the Copper Age, silver made only rare appearances in jewelry before the classical age. Despite its infrequent use as jewelry however, silver was widely used as coinage due to its softness, brilliant color, and resistance to oxidation. Silver alloyed with gold in the form of “electrum” was coined to produce money around 700 B.C. by the Lydians of present-day Turkey. Having access to silver deposits and being able to mine them played a big role in the classical world. Actual silver coins were first produced in Lydia about 610 B.C., and subsequently in Athens in about 580 B.C.
Many historians have argued that it was the possession and exploitation of the Laurium mines by the Athenians that allowed them to become the most powerful city state in Greece. The Athenians were well aware of the significance of the mining operations to the prosperity of their city, as every citizen had shares in the mines. Enough silver was mined and refined at Laurium to finance the expansion of Athens as a trading and naval power. One estimate is that Laurium produced 160 million ounces of silver, worth six billion dollars today (when silver is by comparison relatively cheap and abundant). As the production of silver from the Laurium mines ultimately diminished, Greek silver production shifted to mines in Macedonia.
Silver coinage played a significant role in the ancient world. Macedonia’s coinage during the reign of Philip II (359-336 B.C.) circulated widely throughout the Hellenic world. His famous son, Alexander the Great (336-323 B.C.), spread the concept of coinage throughout the lands he conquered. For both Philip II and Alexander silver coins became an essential way of paying their armies and meeting other military expenses. They also used coins to make a realistic portrait of the ruler of the country. The Romans also used silver coins to pay their legions. These coins were used for most daily transactions by administrators and traders throughout the empire.
Roman silver coins also served as an important means of political propaganda, extolling the virtues of Rome and her emperors, and continued in the Greek tradition of realistic portraiture. As well, many public works and architectural achievements were also depicted (among them the Coliseum, the Circus Maximus). In addition many important political events were recorded on the coinage. Roman coins depicted the assassination of Julius Caesar, alliances between cities, between emperors, between armies, etc. And many contenders for the throne of Rome are known only through their coinage.
Silver was also widely used as ornamental work and in other metal wares. In ancient cultures, especially in Rome, silver was highly prized for the making of plate ware, household utensils, and ornamental work. The stability of Rome’s economy and currency depended primarily on the output of the silver mines in Spain which they had wrested from the Carthaginians. In fact many historians would say that it was the control of the wealth of these silver mines which enabled Rome to conquer most of the Mediterranean world. When in 55 B.C. the Romans invaded Britain they were quick to discover and exploit the lead-silver deposits there as well.
Only six years later they had established many mines and Britain became another major source of silver for the Roman Empire. It is estimated that by the second century A.D., 10,000 tons of Roman silver coins were in circulation within the empire. That’s about 3½ billion silver coins (at the height of the empire, there were over 400 mints throughout the empire producing coinage). That’s ten times the total amount of silver available to Medieval Europe and the Islamic world combined as of about 800 A.D. Silver later lost its position of dominance to gold, particularly in the chaos following the fall of Rome. Large-scale mining in Spain petered out, and when large-scale silver mining finally resumed four centuries after the fall of Rome, most of the mining activity was in Central Europe.
By the time of the European High Middle Ages, silver once again became the principal material used for metal artwork. Huge quantities of silver from the New World also encouraged eager buyers in Europe, and enabled the Spanish to become major players in the late Medieval and Renaissance periods. Unlike the ores in Europe which required laborious extraction and refining methods to result in pure silver, solid silver was frequently found as placer deposits in stream beds in Spain’s “New World” colonies, reportedly in some instances solid slabs weighing as much as 2,500 pounds. Prior to the discovery of massive silver deposits in the New World, silver had been valued during the Middle Ages at about 10%-15% of the value of gold.
In 15th century the price of silver is estimated to have been around $1200 per ounce, based on 2010 dollars. The discovery of massive silver deposits in the New World during the succeeding centuries has caused the price to diminish greatly, falling to only 1-2% of the value of gold. The art of silver work flourished in the Renaissance, finding expression in virtually every imaginable form. Silver was often plated with gold and other decorative materials. Although silver sheets had been used to overlay wood and other metals since ancient Greece, an 18th-century technique of fusing thin silver sheets to copper brought silver goods called Sheffield plate within the reach of most people.
At the same time the use of silver in jewelry making had also started gaining popularity in the 17th century. It was often as support in settings for diamonds and other transparent precious stones, in order to encourage the reflection of light. Silver continued to gain in popularity throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, and by the 20th century competed with gold as the principal metal used in the manufacture of jewelry. Silver has the highest thermal and electrical conductivity of any metal, and one of the highest optical reflectivity values. It has a brilliant metallic luster, is very ductile and malleable, only slightly harder than gold, and is easily worked and polished.
When used in jewelry, silver is commonly alloyed to include 7.5% copper, known as “sterling silver”, to increase the hardness and reduce the melting temperature. Silver jewelry may be plated with 99.9% pure ‘Fine Silver’ to increase the shine when polished. It may also be plated with rhodium to prevent tarnish. Virtually all gold, with the exception of 24 carat gold, includes silver. Most gold alloys are primarily composed of only gold and silver. Throughout the history of the ancient world, gemstones were believed capable of curing illness, possessed of valuable metaphysical properties, and to provide protection. Found in Egypt dated 1500 B. C., the "Papyrus Ebers" offered one of most complete therapeutic manuscripts containing prescriptions using gemstones and minerals.
Gemstones were not only valued for their medicinal and protective properties, but also for educational and spiritual enhancement. Precious minerals were likewise considered to have medicinal and “magical” properties in the ancient world. In its pure form silver is non toxic, and when mixed with other elements is used in a wide variety of medicines. Silver ions and silver compounds show a toxic effect on some bacteria, viruses, algae and fungi. Silver was widely used before the advent of antibiotics to prevent and treat infections, silver nitrate being the prevalent form. Silver Iodide was used in babies' eyes upon birth to prevent blinding as the result of bacterial contamination.
Silver is still widely used in topical gels and impregnated into bandages because of its wide-spectrum antimicrobial activity. The recorded use of silver to prevent infection dates to ancient Greece and Rome. Hippocrates, the ancient (5th century B.C.) Greek "father of medicine" wrote that silver had beneficial healing and anti-disease properties. The ancient Phoenicians stored water, wine, and vinegar in silver bottles to prevent spoiling. These uses were “rediscovered” in the Middle Ages, when silver was used for several purposes; such as to disinfect water and food during storage, and also for the treatment of burns and wounds as a wound dressing.
The ingestion of colloidal silver was also believed to help restore the body's “electromagnetic balance” to a state of equilibrium, and it was believed to detoxify the liver and spleen. In the 19th century sailors on long ocean voyages would put silver coins in barrels of water and wine to keep the liquid potable. Silver (and gold) foil is also used through the world as a food decoration. Traditional Indian dishes sometimes include the use of decorative silver foil, and in various cultures silver dragée (silver coated sugar balls) are used to decorate cakes, cookies, and other dessert items.
SHIPPING & RETURNS/REFUNDS: Your purchase will ordinarily be shipped within 48 hours of payment. We package as well as anyone in the business, with lots of protective padding and containers. All of our shipments are fully insured against loss, and our shipping rates include the cost of this coverage (through stamps.com, Shipsaver.com, the USPS, UPS, or Fed-Ex). Please be aware that postal rates are routinely hiked three times each year by the USPS, and have increased exponentially over the past decade. We set shipping rates as low as possible. However eBay charges steep commissions on shipping charges. And we have no control over the draconian rate increases the USPS levies multiple times every year (FOUR TIMES in the past 12 months as of April of 2026). International tracking is provided free by the USPS for almost all countries. Please note that with respect to international shipments, eBay/DHL shipping is typically less expensive than what the US Postal Service charges. But please be aware that DHL shipments generally offer very limited tracking, and inasmuch as shipments go to eBay first, then are consolidated before finally being transferred to DHL, they tend to be pretty slow.
ADDITIONAL PURCHASES do receive a VERY LARGE discount, typically about $5 per item so as to reward you for the economies of combined shipping/insurance costs. We do offer U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail, Registered Mail, and Express Mail for both international and domestic shipments, as well United Parcel Service (UPS) and Federal Express (Fed-Ex). Please ask for a rate quotation. Please note for international purchasers we will do everything we can to minimize your liability for VAT and/or duties. But we cannot assume any responsibility or liability for whatever taxes or duties may be levied on your purchase by the country of your residence. If you don’t like the tax and duty schemes your government imposes, please complain to them. We have no ability to influence or moderate your country’s tax/duty schemes.
If upon receipt of the item you are disappointed for any reason whatever, I offer a no questions asked 30-day return policy. Send it back, I will give you a complete refund of the purchase price; 1) less our original shipping/insurance costs, 2) less any non-refundable eBay fees. Please note that though they generally do, eBay may not always refund payment processing fees on returns beyond a 30-day purchase window. So except for shipping costs and any payment processing fees not refunded by eBay, we will refund all proceeds from the sale of a return item. Obviously we have no ability to influence, modify or waive eBay policies.
ABOUT US: Prior to our retirement we used to travel to Eastern Europe and Central Asia several times a year seeking antique gemstones and jewelry from the globe’s most prolific gemstone producing and cutting centers. Most of the items we offer came from acquisitions we made in Eastern Europe, India, and from the Levant (Eastern Mediterranean/Near East) during these years from various institutions and dealers. Much of what we generate on Etsy, Amazon and Ebay goes to support worthy institutions in Europe and Asia connected with Anthropology and Archaeology. Though we have a collection of ancient coins numbering in the tens of thousands, our primary interests are ancient/antique jewelry and gemstones, a reflection of our academic backgrounds.
Though perhaps difficult to find in the USA, in Eastern Europe and Central Asia antique gemstones are commonly dismounted from old, broken settings – the gold reused – the gemstones recut and reset. Before these gorgeous antique gemstones are recut, we try to acquire the best of them in their original, antique, hand-finished state – most of them originally crafted a century or more ago. We believe that the work created by these long-gone master artisans is worth protecting and preserving rather than destroying this heritage of antique gemstones by recutting the original work out of existence. That by preserving their work, in a sense, we are preserving their lives and the legacy they left for modern times. Far better to appreciate their craft than to destroy it with modern cutting.
Not everyone agrees – fully 95% or more of the antique gemstones which come into these marketplaces are recut, and the heritage of the past lost. But if you agree with us that the past is worth protecting, and that past lives and the produce of those lives still matters today, consider buying an antique, hand cut, natural gemstone rather than one of the mass-produced machine cut (often synthetic or “lab produced”) gemstones which dominate the market today. We can set most any antique gemstone you purchase from us in your choice of styles and metals ranging from rings to pendants to earrings and bracelets; in sterling silver, 14kt solid gold, and 14kt gold fill. When you purchase from us, you can count on quick shipping and careful, secure packaging. We would be happy to provide you with a certificate/guarantee of authenticity for any item you purchase from us. There is a $3 fee for mailing under separate cover. I will always respond to every inquiry whether via email or eBay message, so please feel free to write.